Albedo changes caused by future urbanization contribute to global warming

Zutao Ouyang (), Pietro Sciusco, Tong Jiao, Sarah Feron, Cheyenne Lei, Fei Li, Ranjeet John, Peilei Fan, Xia Li, Christopher A. Williams, Guangzhao Chen, Chenghao Wang and Jiquan Chen ()
Additional contact information
Zutao Ouyang: Stanford University
Pietro Sciusco: Michigan State University
Tong Jiao: Clark University
Sarah Feron: Stanford University
Cheyenne Lei: Michigan State University
Fei Li: Grassland Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Ranjeet John: University of South Dakota
Peilei Fan: Michigan State University
Xia Li: East China Normal University
Christopher A. Williams: Clark University
Guangzhao Chen: The University of Hong Kong
Chenghao Wang: Stanford University
Jiquan Chen: Michigan State University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The replacement of natural lands with urban structures has multiple environmental consequences, yet little is known about the magnitude and extent of albedo-induced warming contributions from urbanization at the global scale in the past and future. Here, we apply an empirical approach to quantify the climate effects of past urbanization and future urbanization projected under different shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs). We find an albedo-induced warming effect of urbanization for both the past and the projected futures under three illustrative scenarios. The albedo decease from urbanization in 2018 relative to 2001 has yielded a 100-year average annual global warming of 0.00014 [0.00008, 0.00021] °C. Without proper mitigation, future urbanization in 2050 relative to 2018 and that in 2100 relative to 2018 under the intermediate emission scenario (SSP2-4.5) would yield a 100-year average warming effect of 0.00107 [0.00057,0.00179] °C and 0.00152 [0.00078,0.00259] °C, respectively, through altering the Earth’s albedo.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31558-z

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