Improving Heat-Related Health Outcomes in an Urban Environment with Science-Based Policy

David Sailor, Marshall Shepherd, Scott Sheridan, Brian Stone, Laurence Kalkstein, Armistead Russell, Jason Vargo and Theresa Andersen
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David Sailor: School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
Marshall Shepherd: Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
Scott Sheridan: Department of Geography, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44240, USA
Brian Stone: School of City and Regional Planning, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
Laurence Kalkstein: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Gables, FL 33146, USA
Armistead Russell: School of City and Regional Planning, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
Jason Vargo: Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Theresa Andersen: Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: We use the Northeast US Urban Climate Archipelago as a case study to explore three key limitations of planning and policy initiatives to mitigate extreme urban heat. These limitations are: (1) a lack of understanding of spatial considerations—for example, how nearby urban areas interact, affecting, and being affected by, implementation of such policies; (2) an emphasis on air temperature reduction that neglects assessments of other important meteorological parameters, such as humidity, mixing heights, and urban wind fields; and (3) too narrow of a temporal focus—either time of day, season, or current vs. future climates. Additionally, the absence of a direct policy/planning linkage between heat mitigation goals and actual human health outcomes, in general, leads to solutions that only indirectly address the underlying problems. These issues are explored through several related atmospheric modeling case studies that reveal the complexities of designing effective urban heat mitigation strategies. We conclude with recommendations regarding how policy-makers can optimize the performance of their urban heat mitigation policies and programs. This optimization starts with a thorough understanding of the actual end-point goals of these policies, and concludes with the careful integration of scientific knowledge into the development of location-specific strategies that recognize and address the limitations discussed herein.

Keywords: urban climate; urban heat island; heat-related mortality; heat island mitigation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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