Publication: Unlivable: What the Urban Heat Island Effect Means for East Asia’s Cities
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2023-12-20
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2023-12-20
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Amid continuing urban growth and the accelerating effects of climate change, East Asian cities suffer from more extreme temperatures than surrounding rural areas - being up to 2 degrees Celsius hotter on average. This urban heat island (UHI) effect is caused by cities’ relative lack of vegetation, the prevalence of impervious surfaces, construction of buildings in locations that block breezes, releases of heat from cars and machinery, and other features of the urban environment. In the decades ahead, the UHI effect will interact with climate change in ways that make cities even more prone to heat waves - already increasing in frequency and intensity - especially among East Asian cities in tropical zones and in low- and middle-income countries. Extreme heat not only lowers the economic competitiveness and livability of cities in the region but also increases the risk of death and illness. Groups such as low-income residents, outdoor workers, and the region’s growing elderly population are the most vulnerable to extreme heat. The poor are also more likely to bear the brunt of these harms: certain urban neighborhoods, particularly poorer ones, may be several degrees hotter than others within the same city. This report uses satellite data, on-the-ground data collection, and a review of economic literature to shed new light on the magnitude of the UHI effect and its impacts on East Asian cities. Using a “Places, People, Institutions” framework, the report provides practical suggestions to help policy makers to rise to the extreme urban heat challenge. These actions, such as promoting urban greening, adopting heat-resilient urban design, and implementing heat wave early warning systems - can help to protect East Asia’s urban residents from the impacts of extreme heat, contributing to cities that are more competitive, livable, and inclusive.
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“Roberts, Mark; Deuskar, Chandan; Jones, Nicholas; Park, Jane. 2023. Unlivable: What the Urban Heat Island Effect Means for East Asia’s Cities. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/40771 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.”
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