Urban Surface Thermal Environments by Liang Zhou

Urban Surface Thermal Environments by Liang Zhou

Urban Surface Thermal Environments: A Metropolitan Area Perspective presents a comprehensive exploration of urban heat dynamics through the perspectives of climate change, urbanization, green infrastructure, and two- and three-dimensional urban morphology. It analyzes the key drivers of surface urban heat islands (SUHI), reveals spatial and temporal patterns of warming, assesses population heat risks, and proposes practical strategies to mitigate thermal impacts. Incorporating spatial analysis, multi-source data integration, and urban-scale simulation, the book provides effective solutions for megacities worldwide under increasing heat stress—supporting adaptive governance, enhancing livability, and advancing SDG 11.

The book presents a series of analytical frameworks designed to capture thermal heterogeneity, identify vulnerable populations, and inform intervention strategies across scales—from site-specific cooling measures to integrated regional spatial planning. By bridging climate science, urban design, and geospatial technologies, it offers actionable approaches to enhance urban resilience and guide climate adaptation efforts. This integrated framework aligns with the Paris Agreement, including the 1.5°C climate target, and is informed by recent scientific assessments from IPCC, offering spatially explicit support for evidence-based decision-making.

As a valuable reference for researchers, urban planners, environmental professionals, policymakers, and graduate students, this book informs decisions in the fields of climate adaptation, sustainable urban development, and spatial planning. It contributes to key global and national initiatives, including SDG11 and SDG13, Future Earth, and China’s new urbanization strategy. Through its interdisciplinary and geography-informed perspective, the book enhances cities’ adaptive capacity and contributes to the development of cooler, more equitable, and climate-resilient human settlements in an era of global warming.

Liang Zhou is a professor at Lanzhou Jiaotong University. His research focuses on urban thermal environments, urban geography, simulation, disaster risk, mountain city governance, and sustainable urban development. He has conducted postdoctoral and visiting research at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and Indiana University Bloomington (IUB). He has published over 160 peer-reviewed papers and received multiple academic awards and scientific honors. As principal investigator, he has led five research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). He also serves as Editorial Director of the international journal Journal of Geovisualization and Spatial Analysis. To date, he has supervised more than 40 master’s and doctoral students. His research supports urban planning, climate adaptation, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals through the application of geospatial technologies.

Mr. Bo Yuan is currently pursuing his PhD at Nanjing University. His research focuses on the impacts of compound climate extremes on vegetation vulnerability and ecosystem recovery, with additional interests in urban climate and environment of remote sensing.

David López-Carr is Professor of Geography at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he directs the Human-Environment Dynamics Lab (HED). López-Carr received a PhD in Geography from the University of North Carolina in 2002, where he subsequently held a NIH post-doctoral fellowship in Biostatistics in the School of Public Health and Carolina Population Center. He has lived, worked, and traveled in over 70 countries worldwide and speaks Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, and rudimentary Q’eqchí Maya. Professor López-Carr uses mixed methods to examine potential win-win outcomes for people and the environment. His research specifically focuses on links among population, health, rural livelihoods, agriculture, and marine and forest resource use and conservation through ongoing projects in California, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. He has authored over 230 scientific publications. With co-authors, he was awarded the 2024 Ecological Society of America's (ESA) Sustainability Science Award and the

Frontiers Planet Prize from the US National Academy of Sciences. His scholarship has been conducted with colleagues and students thanks to funding from over 50 fellowships, grants, and awards from NASA, NOAA, NSF, NIH, the Mellon, two Fulbright Fellowships, and numerous other sources. López-Carr was awarded the Research Excellence Award from the

Population Specialty Group and the Human Dimensions of Global Change Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers (AAG). He was also presented the AAG Excellence in Mentoring Award and the Conference of Latin American Geography Teaching Award. Named a National Academy of Sciences Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow in 2013, in 2014 he was elected an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow ‘’for advancing our scientific understanding of the coupled process of human population dynamics and environmental change.’’

Mr. Fengning Hu is currently pursuing his PhD at the City University of Macau. His research focuses on remote sensing-based mapping and analysis of urban logistics infrastructure and urban climate.