New report warns of extreme heat in East Asian cities due to climate change and urban growth, causing up to 2°C higher temperatures and health risks. Strategies like urban greening can help.
Urban Heat Threat in East Asia
A recent report from the World Bank warns about the increasing danger of extreme heat in East Asian cities, caused by climate change and the urban heat island effect. Due to ongoing urban expansion and the accelerating impact of climate change, East Asian cities experience significantly higher temperatures compared to surrounding rural areas, with an average increase of up to 2 degrees Celsius.
Key Findings and Recommendations
The report emphasizes that East Asian cities are at risk of becoming uninhabitable due to extreme heat, exacerbated by the urban heat island effect. This phenomenon leads to higher temperatures, which in turn affect health, competitiveness, and livability. The report suggests that city leaders can combat extreme urban heat by implementing strategies focused on urban greening, creating cool city spaces, providing early warnings, protecting heat-exposed workers, and integrating heat risk reduction into institutional and strategic initiatives.
Implications and Solutions
The report not only highlights the extent of the risk posed by extreme urban heat in East Asia but also provides a path forward for addressing this issue. It reveals that land surface temperatures in East Asian cities are, on average, 2.0°C warmer than in rural areas within 10 kilometers. This poses significant health and productivity risks, particularly in tropical cities with hot and humid climates. However, the report outlines potential solutions for city leaders to address urban heat, such as urban greening and early heatwave warnings, ultimately aiming to make East Asia’s cities more livable, healthy, and competitive.
Source : How can East Asian cities address the challenge of extreme urban heat?
