How can East Asian cities address the challenge of extreme urban heat?

A new World Bank report highlights the danger of extreme heat in East Asia’s cities due to climate change and the urban heat island effect.

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. 

Key Takeaways

• East Asia’s cities are facing the threat of becoming unlivable due to extreme heat, exacerbated by the urban heat island effect.
• The UHI effect in East Asian cities leads to higher temperatures, impacting health, competitiveness, and livability, with projections of increased heat-related mortality and economic losses.
• City leaders can address extreme urban heat by implementing strategies focused on urban greening, cool city spaces, early warnings, protection of heat-exposed workers, and mainstreaming heat risk reduction throughout institutions and strategies.

A new World Bank report, Unlivable: What the Urban Heat Island Effect Means for East Asia’s Cities, sheds light on three important questions:

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(i) how strong is the UHI effect in East Asia’s cities? (ii) how does extreme urban heat impact the competitiveness, livability, and inclusiveness of the region’s cities? and (iii) what can the region’s city leaders do to address extreme urban heat? 

The report examines the strength of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect in cities across East Asia, as well as the impact of extreme urban heat on the competitiveness, livability, and inclusiveness of these cities. It also outlines potential actions that city leaders in the region can take to address extreme urban heat. The findings not only highlight the extent of the risk but also provide a path forward for addressing this issue.

The report reveals that land surface temperatures in East Asian cities are, on average, 2.0°C warmer than in rural areas within 10 kilometers. The UHI effect is strongest in cities in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, with average temperatures up to 6.6°C higher than rural areas.

The effect is particularly concerning in tropical cities with hot and humid climates. The implications of extreme heat include health risks, decreased productivity, and decreased livability. However, the report provides a blueprint for city leaders to address urban heat through strategies like urban greening, cool city spaces, early warnings for heatwaves, and protecting heat-exposed workers. By implementing these strategies, East Asia’s cities can become more livable, healthy, and competitive.