Finding synergies in the built environment between climate change adaptation and crime prevention

This article identifies potential synergies between the domains of crime prevention and climate change adaptation within the built environment. It delves into three specific risks associated with climate change—heat, wildfires, and flooding and tidal surges—and investigates how adapting the built environment to these challenges may inadvertently affect crime vulnerability or prevention. It examines how human-controlled nature-based solutions, such as trees and community gardens, can reduce both heat-related problems and crime risks. The article discusses passive cooling through architectural design in hot climates and explores strategies for reducing wildfire risks through landscaping and building design. Additionally, it considers the implications of sea walls and floating structures for crime prevention in the face of tidal surges and flooding. The article concludes by underscoring the need for further research in this intersection of climate change adaptation and crime prevention and the role of crime scientists in shaping safer urban environments amid the challenges of climate change.