SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS OF URBAN HEAT ISLAND ON URBAN DWELLERS

Abstract

Urban Heat Islands are causing significant problems for people living in urban areas. The impacts of urban heat islands on lifestyle, health, and weather are concerning, which is why our study aimed to understand the causes and effects of this phenomenon. Traffic and urban sprawl were identified as two of the major causes of urban heat islands. The increase in population and size of cities due to urban sprawl has forced people to rely on vehicles for transportation, leading to adverse effects on the climate and weather of the city. Our study found that more than 95% of respondents identified traffic as having a medium to high impact on the cause of urban heat islands, while 100% identified urban sprawl as having a medium to high impact. Temperature analysis revealed a general increase in temperatures over the last two decades, but interestingly, temperatures in October, November, and December have actually decreased during this time. Our analysis of imagery data from 2000, 2010, and 2020 revealed a concerning trend of builtup areas' proportion rising dramatically over this timeframe. In 2000, the built-up area was 17.57%, while our most recent analysis showed that this figure more than doubled to 43.65% in 2020. These findings highlight the need for action to address the problem of urban heat islands before they cause more harm to people's health, lifestyle, and the environment