urban
Newsletter
Nearby rural land may significantly reduce urban temperatures
A recent study finds that rural areas around cities can lower urban temperatures by nearly 33 degrees Fahrenheit, suggesting a new approach to combating urban heat.
In short:
- Researchers studied data from 30 Chinese cities and found that rural land within a six- to nine-mile radius can reduce urban heat island intensity by about 30%.
- Urban heat islands occur when cities are warmer than their surroundings due to air warming, creating low-pressure zones that pull cooler air from nearby rural areas.
- The study suggests cooling strategies, such as planting woodlands and consolidating water bodies in rural areas, to boost urban cooling.
Why this matters:
Urban heat islands contribute to higher energy costs and health risks. By optimizing rural land use, cities can become cooler and more sustainable, benefiting both urban and rural communities.
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Cities embrace nature by removing concrete for greener spaces
In a global movement, cities are replacing stretches of concrete with natural landscapes to foster environmental resilience.
In short:
- Cities worldwide are removing unnecessary concrete and asphalt, allowing natural elements to reclaim urban spaces.
- Depaving efforts enhance water absorption, reduce flooding, support wildlife, and improve urban mental health.
- The practice is increasingly seen as essential for climate adaptation, with some cities integrating it into official urban planning.
Key quote:
"Before, it was somewhere you would quickly try to walk through. Now there are places you might stop or have a chat. Sit and read the paper."
— Giuliana Casimirri, executive director of Green Venture
Why this matters:
By reintroducing nature into cities, we not only combat climate change effects like flooding and heatwaves but also enhance urban biodiversity and residents' well-being.
Be sure to read: In urban parks and forests, scientists dig to unearth answers to an age-old question—why are people healthier (and happier) when surrounded by nature?
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Newsletter
Urban animals can’t take the heat, study finds
A warming climate could make cities even less hospitable to wild mammals, according to new research.
Newsletter
How climate change causes culture clashes in Iraq's cities
Drought is forcing thousands of rural Iraqis migrate to cities for work, bringing with them their own cultural ideas. This has caused community conflicts, sometimes even violence, in big cities like Baghdad and Basra.
Mark Gongloff: How climate change threatens us, even here in Pittsburgh
We can’t let the size of the challenge keep overwhelming our capacity to solve it.
Newsletter
In quest for food security, cities test limits of urban agriculture
In Paris and elsewhere, cities are exploring the economic and environmental benefits of building-based agriculture and racing to protect farmland at the urban edge.
Faced with climate change, island of Ischia battles illegal urban development
The island of Ischia is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, and the problem of uncontrolled urban development is making the damage worse.
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