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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Climate Change".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 March 2023) | Viewed by 9392

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Dr. Fengyun Sun

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Guest Editor

School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Interests: extreme climate events and impacts; environmental justice

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cities are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, such as drought, flood, heat wave, and heavy precipitation. These climate extremes, likely to be more severe and frequent in the future, are posing great risks on cities' basic services, infrastructure, housing, and human wellbeing. However, our understanding of climate extremes in cities and their social and ecological impacts on human health, energy, infrastructure, ecosystems, and security are still limited. Integrating analysis and measurement, modeling tools are often used to enhance our understanding of climate extremes, impacts, mitigation strategies, and sustainability solutions.

Contributions addressing the following topics are invited for this Special Issue:

Extreme climate processes in urban areas and their interaction with urbanization and global warming;
Impacts of climate extremes to human health issues, urban air quality, energy supply, urban hydrological cycle, etc.;
Sustainable mitigation and adaptation strategies to confront potential future changes in climate extremes for cities;
Actionable and cost-effective urban sustainability solutions for reducing urban hydrometeorological disaster risks;
Climate change risk, impacts, adaptation, and mitigation actions in cities related to equity and environmental justice.

Dr. Fengyun Sun
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

climate extremes
social and ecological impacts
mitigation and adaptation measures
hydrometeorological risks
sustainable development
equity and environmental justice

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 5274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dominance of Influencing Factors on Cooling Effect of Urban Parks in Different Climatic Regions

by Songxin Zheng, Lichen Liu, Xiaofeng Dong, Yanqing Hu and Pengpeng Niu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15496; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315496 - 22 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1477

Abstract

The enhancement of the park cooling effect (PCE) is one method used to alleviate the urban heat island (UHI). The cooling effect is affected by park factors; however, the importance of these factors in the case of the PCE is still unclear. Optimizing or planning urban parks according to the importance of the influencing factors can effectively enhance the PCE. Herein, we selected 502 urban parks in 29 cities in China with three different climatic regions and quantified the PCE based on the park cooling intensity (PCI) and park cooling area (PCA). Subsequently, the relative importance of the influencing factors for the PCE was compared to identify the main factors. Consequently, certain park planning suggestions were proposed to enhance the cooling effect. The results show that: (1) the PCE increased in the order of arid/semi-arid, semi-humid, and humid regions. (2) The main factors of the PCI differed significantly in different climatic regions; however, the waterbody within a park significantly affected the PCI in all three climates. However, for the PCA, park patch characteristics were the dominant factor, contributing approximately 80% in the three climates regions. (3) In arid/semi-arid and semi-humid regions, the optimal area proportion of waterbody and vegetation within the park were approximately 1:2 and 1:1, respectively, and the threshold value of the park area was 16 ha. In contrast, in the humid region, the addition of a waterbody area within the park, to the best extent possible, enhanced the PCI, and the threshold value of the park area was 19 ha. The unique results of this study are expected to function as a guide to future urban park planning on a regional scale to maximize ecological benefits while mitigating the UHI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Extremes in Urban Environment)

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21 pages, 784 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Impact of Climate Change on China’s Import Trade of Major Agricultural Products and Adaptation Strategies

by Chenchen Ding, Yong Xia, Yang Su, Feng Li, Changjiang Xiong and Jingwen Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14374; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114374 - 03 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1730

Abstract

With global warming, China’s agricultural products are facing severe production conditions and a complex international trade situation. In order to clarify the relationship between climate change and China’s agricultural trade, this paper uses the GTAP model to explore the impact of climate change on China’s agricultural trade from the perspectives of agricultural production and supply, energy substitution and trade policy. The results show that: (1) From the overall effect, the production supply risk and energy substitution risk caused by climate change have a positive impact on China’s import trade, among which the energy substitution risk has brought about an import trade growth of 38.050%, the production supply risk has brought about an import trade growth of 12.635%, and the trade policy risk has a negative impact, bringing about an import trade decline of 12.589%. (2) Under the impact of production and supply risks caused by climate change, the import volume of different industrial sectors has increased by varying degrees, including livestock products (16.521%) > food crops (14.162%) > cash crops (7.220%). The increase in import trade mainly comes from the United States (10.731%), Canada (10.650%) and Australia (9.455%). (3) Under the impact of energy substitution risk caused by climate change, the increase in import trade was concentrated in food crops (48.144%) and livestock products (42.834%), mainly from the United States (57.098%), the European Union (55.014%) and Canada (53.508%). (4) Under the impact of trade policy risks caused by climate change, the import trade of different industrial sectors showed a downward trend, with cash crops (13.039%) > livestock products (12.588%) > cash crops (12.140%). The countries and regions with significant decline in import trade were ASEAN (−46.131%) and the United States (−28.028%). The trade deficit shifted to surplus, and the terms of trade were improved. Therefore, this paper suggests that we should deal with the impact of climate change on agricultural trade by developing “climate smart” agriculture, actively responding to low-carbon trade measures, and establishing an agricultural trade promotion mechanism to address the risk of climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Extremes in Urban Environment)

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19 pages, 602 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vulnerable, Resilient, or Both? A Qualitative Study of Adaptation Resources and Behaviors to Heat Waves and Health Outcomes of Low-Income Residents of Urban Heat Islands

by Lawrence A. Palinkas, Michael S. Hurlburt, Cecilia Fernandez, Jessenia De Leon, Kexin Yu, Erika Salinas, Erika Garcia, Jill Johnston, Md. Mostafijur Rahman, Sam J. Silva and Rob S. McConnell

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 11090; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191711090 - 04 Sep 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4100

Abstract

Little is known of how low-income residents of urban heat islands engage their knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and resources to mitigate the health impacts of heat waves. In this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 adults in two such neighborhoods in Los Angeles California to explore their adaptation resources and behaviors, the impacts of heat waves on physical and mental health, and threat assessments of future heat waves. Eighty percent of participants received advanced warning of heat waves from television news and social media. The most common resource was air conditioning (AC) units or fans. However, one-third of participants lacked AC, and many of those with AC engaged in limited use due primarily to the high cost of electricity. Adaptation behaviors include staying hydrated, remaining indoors or going to cooler locations, reducing energy usage, and consuming certain foods and drinks. Most of the participants reported some physical or mental health problem or symptom during heat waves, suggesting vulnerability to heat waves. Almost all participants asserted that heat waves were likely to increase in frequency and intensity with adverse health effects for vulnerable populations. Despite limited resources, low-income residents of urban heat islands utilize a wide range of behaviors to minimize the severity of health impacts, suggesting they are both vulnerable and resilient to heat waves. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Extremes in Urban Environment)

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14 pages, 3558 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mitigating Extreme Summer Heat Waves with the Optimal Water-Cooling Island Effect Based on Remote Sensing Data from Shanghai, China

by Hongyu Du and Fengqi Zhou

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9149; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159149 - 27 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1487

Abstract

Due to the progress in global warming, the frequency, duration and intensity of climate extremes are increasing. As one of these extremes, heat waves influence the well-being of human beings and increase societies’ energy consumption. The Water-Cooling Island (WCI) effect of urban water bodies (UWBs) is important in urban heat wave mitigation. In this paper, the impact of WCI, especially the landscape pattern of the surrounding area, was explored. The results indicate that water bodies with a larger total area and simpler shape have a longer cooling effect. In the areas surrounding UWBs, a lower percentage or discrete distribution of impervious surfaces or green land provide a longer cooling effect. The amplitude of WCI is mainly decided by the impervious surface in the surrounding areas. A lower percentage or discrete distribution of impervious surfaces or green land leads to a smaller-amplitude WCI. The gradient is impacted by the shape of the UWB and surrounding green land. A complex shape and discrete distribution of green land lead to a higher gradient of WCI. The linear regress model was significant in terms of WCI range and gradient, while the model of WCI amplitude was not significant. This indicates that WCI is directly decided by impact factors through gradient and range. The conclusions provide a methodology for WCI prediction and optimization, which is important when mitigating summer heat waves. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Extremes in Urban Environment)

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