A novel systemic framing of the Urban Heat Islands phenomenon

The joint action of climate change, heatwaves and the urban heat island phenomenon (UHI) is responsible for the modification of urban climates. As we approach even the lowest of predicted climate change warming scenarios, 1.5°C global warming, the effects of UHIs and heatwaves in cities is predicted to significantly worsen. As heatwaves become more common and intense, our need to understand UHIs as localised urban phenomena and how they affect the full array of social, economic and environmental systems in cities becomes ever more important. However, most UHI studies focus on only a limited set of parameters, typically from a single or a limited set of disciplines. This lack of focus on the problem as a whole leaves our ability to understand and adapt to and/or mitigate UHIs severely limited. To address this problem, this study proposes a novel framing of the phenomenon under the lens of ‘systems thinking’ to represent how the urban heat island phenomenon interplays with urban systems. The representation of UHI through this proposed knowledge framework facilitates understanding of the complex multifaceted cross-system feedbacks and trade-offs. This then allows the identification and the systemic evaluation of adaptation and abatement measures.