Green spaces provide substantial but unequal urban cooling globally

Yuxiang Li, Jens-Christian Svenning, Weiqi Zhou, Kai Zhu, Jesse F. Abrams, Timothy M. Lenton, William J. Ripple, Zhaowu Yu, Shuqing N. Teng (), Robert R. Dunn () and Chi Xu ()
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Yuxiang Li: Nanjing University
Jens-Christian Svenning: Aarhus University
Weiqi Zhou: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Kai Zhu: University of Michigan
Jesse F. Abrams: University of Exeter
Timothy M. Lenton: University of Exeter
William J. Ripple: Oregon State University
Zhaowu Yu: Fudan University
Shuqing N. Teng: Nanjing University
Robert R. Dunn: North Carolina State University
Chi Xu: Nanjing University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Climate warming disproportionately impacts countries in the Global South by increasing extreme heat exposure. However, geographic disparities in adaptation capacity are unclear. Here, we assess global inequality in green spaces, which urban residents critically rely on to mitigate outdoor heat stress. We use remote sensing data to quantify daytime cooling by urban greenery in the warm seasons across the ~500 largest cities globally. We show a striking contrast, with Global South cities having ~70% of the cooling capacity of cities in the Global North (2.5 ± 1.0 °C vs. 3.6 ± 1.7 °C). A similar gap occurs for the cooling adaptation benefits received by an average resident in these cities (2.2 ± 0.9 °C vs. 3.4 ± 1.7 °C). This cooling adaptation inequality is due to discrepancies in green space quantity and quality between cities in the Global North and South, shaped by socioeconomic and natural factors. Our analyses further suggest a vast potential for enhancing cooling adaptation while reducing global inequality.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51355-0

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