Climate change-induced heat reduces urban green space use: Insights from mobile phone location big data

IF 6 2区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Urban Forestry & Urban Greening Pub Date : 2025-03-12 DOI:10.1016/j.ufug.2025.128771

Mao Wakayama , Kota Mameno , Tatsuya Owake , Tetsuya Aikoh , Yasushi Shoji

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Global climate change poses a major challenge in human–nature interactions. Particularly, increasing extreme weather events and rising temperatures in summer are barriers to the access and use of urban green spaces (UGSs) for urban residents. However, there is no unified view on whether the number of users changes during extreme heat events. This study examined the impact of increasing temperatures and humidity in summer (Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature: WBGT) on the number of green space users by applying propensity score matching (PSM) and linear regression to smartphone location data. The study focused on 20 major UGSs in Sapporo, Japan, where in August 2023, Sapporo experienced temperatures 2.7 °C higher than the previous decade's average, aligning with the projected 2050 average according to forecasts from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. We observed a discernible increase up to a WBGT of 28 °C, with a significant user-decline trend beyond this threshold. PSM estimates indicated a decrease of 1781 UGS users. Based on individual space analyses, UGSs with water play and indoor facilities maintained high user numbers even at elevated heat indices, suggesting the effectiveness of those facilities in climate change adaptation.

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来源期刊

Urban Forestry & Urban Greening FORESTRY-

CiteScore

11.70

自引率

12.50%

发文量

289

审稿时长

70 days

期刊介绍： Urban Forestry and Urban Greening is a refereed, international journal aimed at presenting high-quality research with urban and peri-urban woody and non-woody vegetation and its use, planning, design, establishment and management as its main topics. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening concentrates on all tree-dominated (as joint together in the urban forest) as well as other green resources in and around urban areas, such as woodlands, public and private urban parks and gardens, urban nature areas, street tree and square plantations, botanical gardens and cemeteries. The journal welcomes basic and applied research papers, as well as review papers and short communications. Contributions should focus on one or more of the following aspects: -Form and functions of urban forests and other vegetation, including aspects of urban ecology. -Policy-making, planning and design related to urban forests and other vegetation. -Selection and establishment of tree resources and other vegetation for urban environments. -Management of urban forests and other vegetation. Original contributions of a high academic standard are invited from a wide range of disciplines and fields, including forestry, biology, horticulture, arboriculture, landscape ecology, pathology, soil science, hydrology, landscape architecture, landscape planning, urban planning and design, economics, sociology, environmental psychology, public health, and education.