Rising global temperatures wreak havoc on urban “heat islands”

“The extreme heat we’re seeing right now is the result of both climate change and urban development patterns. Cities have to think about the long-term implications of the changing environment.”

— Katharine Burgess, vice president of urban resilience at the Urban Land Institute

The big picture: Severe heat wreaks havoc on cities’ infrastructure, like electric grids, and presents serious public health risks.

City planners and developers are rethinking urban design to keep buildings and people cool as temperatures rise, according to a new report by the Urban Land Institute first shared with Axios.

• Extreme heat may be a material risk: Moody’s, Fitch Ratings and S&P Global warned that credit ratings could take into account cities’ strategies for dealing with climate change. That could significantly impact cities’ ability to raise capital and finance projects.
• Midsized U.S. cities can expect about a 1% GDP loss by 2050 due to increased expenses and reduced growth associated with rising temperatures.

By the numbers: On average, cities are 2°F to 6°F warmer than their surroundings. Because they are covered with sun-absorbing pavement and rooftops, cities can be up to 22 degrees hotter than surrounding areas.

• Today, cities have on average 10 more extreme heat events per year than they did in the mid-1950s.
• Heat islands cause about 20% of the formation of urban smog, which then traps even more hot air in a city.

What’s happening: From an economic perspective, cities that plan for super-hot futures may have a competitive advantage as consumers’ preferences change with the weather.

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