Review Paper:
The Role of Urban
Green Spaces in Mitigating Urban Heat Island Effect Amidst Climate Change
Purohit Sanju
Res. J. Chem. Environ.; Vol. 29(1); 75-84;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/291rjce075084; (2025)
Abstract
As climate change accelerates, urban heat islands (UHIs) are becoming an increasing
threat to public health and well-being in cities globally. UHIs occur when urban
built environments absorb and retain more heat than surrounding rural areas due
to the prevalence of heat-retaining materials like concrete and asphalt and waste
heat from vehicles, buildings and industry. This results in significantly higher
temperatures in cities compared to nearby rural regions. Urban green spaces such
as parks, gardens, urban forests, green roofs and community farms can help mitigate
the UHI effect through shading, evapotranspiration and converting impervious surfaces
to permeable vegetation.
This study reviews the literature on the ability of various urban green spaces to
reduce ambient temperatures, to improve thermal comfort and to provide refuge to
urban residents during extreme heat events, which are projected to increase with
climate change. An analysis of research case studies quantifies the potential temperature
reduction capacity of urban vegetation and identifies key principles and guidelines
for designing climate-adaptive urban green spaces to regulate urban microclimates
amidst global climate change effectively.
