Surface temperature change amplifies social inequality in heat exposure? Evidence from Shanghai, China
Heat-related environmental justice has gained increasing attention, with many studies focusing on social inequalities in exposure to extreme surface temperatures. However, changes in land surface temperature (LST) also contribute to residents’ thermal discomfort, underscoring the need to explore ine...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Environmental Challenges |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010024002142 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846119422208507904 |
|---|---|
| author | Peng Zeng Cheng Chen Fengyun Sun Yaoyi Liu Xinyu Zhang Yue Che |
| author_facet | Peng Zeng Cheng Chen Fengyun Sun Yaoyi Liu Xinyu Zhang Yue Che |
| author_sort | Peng Zeng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Heat-related environmental justice has gained increasing attention, with many studies focusing on social inequalities in exposure to extreme surface temperatures. However, changes in land surface temperature (LST) also contribute to residents’ thermal discomfort, underscoring the need to explore inequalities in exposure to these changes. This study addresses this gap by analyzing spatial and social disparities in exposure to both LST changes and summer LST in Shanghai. We employed a boosted regression tree model to quantify LST changes, offering better predictive performance than traditional linear regression, and used geographically weighted regression with data from China's sixth population census to assess the city-wide and local scale inequality differences in exposure to LST changes and summer LST. Our findings reveal that 57.83 % of Shanghai's subdistricts experienced above-average LST changes and summer LST. Specific groups—males (22.17 %), children (22.61 %), the elderly (13.04 %), and residents in older housing (60.87 %)—were disproportionately exposed to local-scale LST changes. In contrast, those employed in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries faced consistently lower exposure. Furthermore, exposure to LST changes was 3.47 % higher among the elderly and 28.26 % higher for residents in older housing compared to exposure based on summer LST alone. To mitigate these inequalities, we recommend increasing water coverage and green roofs, enhancing green infrastructure in aging neighborhoods, and providing financial subsidies for outdoor workers. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing social inequalities in exposure to temperature changes to enhance urban resilience and promote sustainable urban planning in the face of climate change. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fd40fbd482814f49ad401c9da451f83c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2667-0100 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Challenges |
| spelling | doaj-art-fd40fbd482814f49ad401c9da451f83c2024-12-17T05:01:35ZengElsevierEnvironmental Challenges2667-01002024-12-0117101048Surface temperature change amplifies social inequality in heat exposure? Evidence from Shanghai, ChinaPeng Zeng0Cheng Chen1Fengyun Sun2Yaoyi Liu3Xinyu Zhang4Yue Che5School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, CS 3584, the NetherlandsSchool of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, ChinaSchool of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, ChinaSchool of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, ChinaShanghai Chengtou Water Group Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200002, ChinaSchool of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Corresponding author.Heat-related environmental justice has gained increasing attention, with many studies focusing on social inequalities in exposure to extreme surface temperatures. However, changes in land surface temperature (LST) also contribute to residents’ thermal discomfort, underscoring the need to explore inequalities in exposure to these changes. This study addresses this gap by analyzing spatial and social disparities in exposure to both LST changes and summer LST in Shanghai. We employed a boosted regression tree model to quantify LST changes, offering better predictive performance than traditional linear regression, and used geographically weighted regression with data from China's sixth population census to assess the city-wide and local scale inequality differences in exposure to LST changes and summer LST. Our findings reveal that 57.83 % of Shanghai's subdistricts experienced above-average LST changes and summer LST. Specific groups—males (22.17 %), children (22.61 %), the elderly (13.04 %), and residents in older housing (60.87 %)—were disproportionately exposed to local-scale LST changes. In contrast, those employed in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries faced consistently lower exposure. Furthermore, exposure to LST changes was 3.47 % higher among the elderly and 28.26 % higher for residents in older housing compared to exposure based on summer LST alone. To mitigate these inequalities, we recommend increasing water coverage and green roofs, enhancing green infrastructure in aging neighborhoods, and providing financial subsidies for outdoor workers. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing social inequalities in exposure to temperature changes to enhance urban resilience and promote sustainable urban planning in the face of climate change.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010024002142Heat exposureSurface temperature changeWarming sensitivity indexSocial inequitiesGeographically weighted regression |
| spellingShingle | Peng Zeng Cheng Chen Fengyun Sun Yaoyi Liu Xinyu Zhang Yue Che Surface temperature change amplifies social inequality in heat exposure? Evidence from Shanghai, China Environmental Challenges Heat exposure Surface temperature change Warming sensitivity index Social inequities Geographically weighted regression |
| title | Surface temperature change amplifies social inequality in heat exposure? Evidence from Shanghai, China |
| title_full | Surface temperature change amplifies social inequality in heat exposure? Evidence from Shanghai, China |
| title_fullStr | Surface temperature change amplifies social inequality in heat exposure? Evidence from Shanghai, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Surface temperature change amplifies social inequality in heat exposure? Evidence from Shanghai, China |
| title_short | Surface temperature change amplifies social inequality in heat exposure? Evidence from Shanghai, China |
| title_sort | surface temperature change amplifies social inequality in heat exposure evidence from shanghai china |
| topic | Heat exposure Surface temperature change Warming sensitivity index Social inequities Geographically weighted regression |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010024002142 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pengzeng surfacetemperaturechangeamplifiessocialinequalityinheatexposureevidencefromshanghaichina AT chengchen surfacetemperaturechangeamplifiessocialinequalityinheatexposureevidencefromshanghaichina AT fengyunsun surfacetemperaturechangeamplifiessocialinequalityinheatexposureevidencefromshanghaichina AT yaoyiliu surfacetemperaturechangeamplifiessocialinequalityinheatexposureevidencefromshanghaichina AT xinyuzhang surfacetemperaturechangeamplifiessocialinequalityinheatexposureevidencefromshanghaichina AT yueche surfacetemperaturechangeamplifiessocialinequalityinheatexposureevidencefromshanghaichina |