‘Australian cities are getting hotter. The many reasons for this include urban densification policies, climate change and social trends such as bigger houses and apartment living, which leave less space for gardens and trees. But some areas and some residents of cities are more exposed to heat than others.
‘The concentration of poorer people in hotter places is known as “thermal inequity”. Our recently published research has found this is a real concern on the Gold Coast, one of Australia’s fastest-growing urban regions.
‘Urban heat is known to increase rates of injury, death and disease. This is why the federal government recently established an urban greening agenda.
‘The central city tends to be hotter than surrounding suburbs and rural areas – the urban heat island effect. Perhaps because of this, much of the research focus has been on the urban core. But what about heat effects in the suburbs?’
- Out in the heat: why poorer suburbs are more at risk in warming cities »
- How are our cities going to look in a rapidly heating world? It won’t be long before 50C will be normal »
- Why urban greening isn’t a panacea for extreme weather under climate change »
- Analysis of 5,500 apartment developments reveals your new home may not be as energy efficient as you think »
- We’re building harder, hotter cities: it’s vital we protect and grow urban green spaces – new report
- We need urban trees more than ever – here’s how to save them from extreme heat