Urban Heat Island Mitigation

Hard urban surfaces (concrete and asphalt) absorb solar radiation and re-radiate it as heat; and industry, transport and air-conditioning release waste heat to atmosphere. This urban heat island (UHI) effect is the most documented phenomenon of climate change. The interaction between global climate change and the local UHI is creating unprecedented challenges to human health, wellbeing and development. Most twenty-first century populations live in cities, so mitigation of urban overheating is an increasing priority. This century has seen the development of important mitigation technologies, ranging from interactive water features to urban greening and high-tech materials. A variety of mitigation solutions are required to address urban heat across diverse climatic contexts. This chapter explores some of this research, and highlights positive progress which offers grounds for optimism.