Urbanization-induced warming amplifies population exposure to compound heatwaves but narrows exposure inequality between global North and South cities

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