Work

Five shifts to rethink urban heat assessment and action

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Urban heat risk is intensifying, yet many cities continue to rely on static assessment approaches that inadequately capture how risk evolves spatiotemporally. We argue for a more dynamic and context-sensitive approach to urban heat assessment and action. We outline five shifts that recognize the interacting roles of hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and adaptive responses, and propose a decision-support framework to support more targeted, equitable, and actionable urban heat preparedness and adaptation.

Source: npj Urban Sustainability

DOI: 10.1038/s42949-026-00451-9

Authors: Ashish Sharma, Rajesh Kumar, Eric Klinenberg, Winston T. L. Chow

Institutions: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research, NSF NCAR Research Applications Laboratory, New York University, Singapore Management University

Language: English

Topic: Urban Heat Island Mitigation

Subfield: Environmental Engineering

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,490