Green infrastructure plays a fundamental role in mitigating the effects of urban heat island. Vegetation may trap particulates and absorb pollutants like ozone, thus improving air quality. Understanding how green infrastructure reduces urban heat island and air pollution within specific urban zones can provide valuable insights for better urban design, improved environmental quality, and increased resident well-being. This study addresses the impact of green infrastructure deprivation on urban heat island effects, air pollution, and heat-related health risks in Porto, Portugal. The study employs a monitoring network to analyse the spatial distribution of air temperature and humidity throughout the city, although with specific gaps in coverage. With a focus on the role of urban green infrastructure in mitigating air urban heat island effects, this paper uses the data from Porto Digital's monitoring network between 2019 and 2022. Heat risk index assesses vulnerability to heat-related health risks by integrating land surface temperature, land cover, and demographic data through remote sensing. Green infrastructure mapping is conducted to quantify the spatial distribution of vegetation elements in the study area. The data analysis from 2019 to 2022 reveals that urban heat island intensity is more pronounced during the summer and at night. Approximately 32.6% of Porto is in areas with a high heat risk index, indicating increased vulnerability to heat-related health risks. The study finds that limited green infrastructure exacerbates this vulnerability, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Additionally, persistent air pollution hotspots, including elevated levels of ozone and particulate matter, contribute to the intensity of urban heat island. These findings underscore the need for integrating green infrastructure into urban planning to mitigate urban heat island and air pollution, improve urban resilience, and promote environmental justice.

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (in early 2020) has dictated significant changes in society and territories by anticipating trends, changing priorities, and creating challenges, which are manifested in the territories. These are influenced by the levels of economic, cultural, and social restructuring, in the measures implemented by public administration or in attempts to redefine strategies for tourism destinations. This paper examines the perceptions and behaviors of tourists before and during COVID-19 in the municipality of Porto, the main area of the Porto Metropolitan Area, in Portugal. Research was based on the application of a questionnaire survey, probing the sensitivity of tourists to the crisis in the decision-making of daily routines, as well as future travel plans in the presence of a serious health concern. A total of 417 surveys were collected in the summers of 2019 and 2020. In addition to descriptive statistics, this paper also includes the results of the analysis of explanatory factors, being a reference for future studies. There were significant changes in the use of public space and the way tourist visits are handled, namely: (i) the concentration of visiting time (shorter visit than usual in certain tourist profiles); (ii) spatially limited visiting areas; and (iii) the ability to attract standard tourists from certain countries where tighter lockdown rules were imposed. Main implications of this study are reflected in the challenges that are imposed on the local agenda, where traditional problems are added to the responsibilities in crisis management and the ability to establish a third order of intervention in tourism.

The recognition of the role of tourism planners in seeking to contribute to local residents’ well-being by mitigating the potential costs of tourism development has been given more attention in the last decades. Several studies on the perception of positive or negative impacts, based on sustainability (namely the three pillars: economic, sociocultural and environmental) have been developed. However, the studies have been somewhat limited in terms of approaches, namely with respect to the contribution and participation of stakeholders. In this study, we attempted to use a bidirectional analysis of involvement and tourism knowledge to segment the residents and analyse their perception of the impacts. A total of 373 valid surveys were applied in a rural mountainous municipality (Boticas) during 2015 and 2016. In this municipality, tourism (activity) is an emergent activity. The results show that more informed and more involved residents have more positive perceptions of tourism than other groups, while less informed and less involved residents have more negative perceptions of it. The study contributes to increasing the knowledge about residents’ perceptions of tourism, adding the aspects of involvement, especially in rural areas. This type of proposal can be applied to any destination to help manage residents’ opinions and, consequently, their support of tourism development.