Urban populations face increased extreme heat risks due to urban heat islands and high population densities. This study quantifies the impact of urbanization-induced warming on heat exposure in 1028 global cities using satellite data. Findings show that urbanization amplifies compound heatwaves, exacerbating heat exposure in over 90% of cities, particularly in highly urbanized areas. While the global South generally experiences higher heat exposure than the global North, this inequality is narrowed when considering urbanization-induced warming, mainly due to stronger warming effects in the global North. The study highlights the importance of incorporating urbanization-induced warming in heat exposure assessments and future vulnerability evaluations.

Shengjun Gao, Yunhao Chen, Deliang Chen, Bin He, Adu Gong, Peng Hou, Kangning Li, Ying Cui