City and Environment Interactions最新文献

{"title":"Simulating the impact of climate change on heat stress using the discomfort index (DI) at Kerman station","authors":"Mehdi Asghari ,&nbsp;Faeze Shoja ,&nbsp;Elham Akhlaghi Pirposhteh ,&nbsp;Somayeh Farhang Dehghan","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100366","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100366","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Simulating the thermal discomfort index is particularly important for predicting and understanding climate change and preventing its consequences, especially in arid and desert regions. This study simulates the impact of climate change on heat stress using the DI at Kerman Station, a representative arid region in Iran. Observed daily minimum and maximum temperatures along with relative humidity for the period 1991–2010 were obtained from the Iran Meteorological Organization. Six General Circulation Models (GCMs) including EC-EARTH, GFDL-CM3, HadGEM2-ES, MIROC5, MPI-ESM-MR, and CanESM2 were downscaled using the Long Ashton Research Station Weather Generator (LARS) and Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM) to project future climate conditions under two representative concentration pathways scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) for 2021–2047, 2048–2074, and 2075–2100. Trend analyses employed the Mann-Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator. During the baseline period, summer months (June–August) showed the highest DI values (19.03–20.20). Projections indicate a significant rise in both minimum and maximum temperatures across all future periods, with steeper increases under RCP8.5 (0.04–0.08°C/year) than RCP4.5 (0.02–0.04°C/year). The lowest projected relative humidity (10.4%) occurred in July under GFDL-CM3 (LARS, RCP8.5, 2075–2100). DI and wet-bulb temperature rose most notably in GFDL-CM3, HadGEM2-ES, and CanESM2 during the late century. SDSM generally yielded higher projections than LARS. Model validation identified HadGEM2-ES as the most accurate. Results confirm a continuous, escalating trend in heat stress in Kerman, with serious implications for public health, urban infrastructure, and ecosystem resilience. These findings can inform climate adaptation strategies, early warning systems, and proactive health policies in vulnerable arid zones of the Middle East, where such assessments remain scarce.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 100366"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147702828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying urban morphological archetypes using k-means to analyze spatial heterogeneity of the urban thermal environment","authors":"Jiahao Zhang ,&nbsp;Suiping Zeng ,&nbsp;Weihao Shi ,&nbsp;Aihemaiti Namaiti ,&nbsp;Yuanzhen Song ,&nbsp;Jian Tian ,&nbsp;Dan ji","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100356","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100356","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Complex urban spatial morphology continues to shape the urban thermal environment. Although prior studies have highlighted the influence of urban morphological parameters on thermal conditions, few have translated city-specific characteristics into morphology-based design recommendations for heat mitigation. This study introduces a data-driven method using the k-means algorithm to identify urban morphological archetypes based on spatial morphology parameters. By integrating Random Forest with interpretable machine learning, we examined how morphology affects land surface temperature (LST) within each archetype and derived differentiated implications for thermal-environment optimization. The results identified 11 morphological archetypes and revealed significant LST differences among them. Compared with OLS and XGBoost, Random Forest achieved better performance in most archetypes. NDVI showed the strongest overall association with LST, while interpretable analysis further revealed nonlinear responses and threshold effects of key morphology parameters. These findings provide a basis for archetype-specific and spatially adaptive design recommendations for urban heat mitigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 100356"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147650610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fostering systemic and emancipatory research in cities","authors":"Lara K. Mottee ,&nbsp;Jennifer Whyte","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100378","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100378","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In an era of evolving societal and sustainability challenges, urban scholars have turned to interdisciplinary practices and transdisciplinary approaches to embark on more impactful research in cities. These scholars work across disciplinary, institutional and organizational boundaries in the design of research that responds to the complex dynamics of managing common pool resources in urban environments. However, embracing epistemic differences in collaborative work between disciplines can be difficult, with a need for research designs to engage with the wider systemic issues in urban contexts. This short communication draws from the theories and research of Elinor Ostrom and her co-authors about managing and governing the shared <em>commons</em>, to empower scholars to do research that spans disciplines and is both systemic in approach and emancipatory in nature. We provide the intellectual grounding for the <em>City and Environment Interactions</em> research community to achieve this. We conclude that by adopting more inclusive methods in the co-production of cities research, urban scholars, practitioners and citizens can be freed from prior assumptions, to imagine unbounded possibilities for the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 100378"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147991026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unequal heat: Urban form, land cover change, and socioeconomic vulnerability in greater Kumasi, Ghana","authors":"Patrick Azong ,&nbsp;Samuel Ato Andam-Akorful ,&nbsp;Emmanuel Nyaaba ,&nbsp;Efiba Vidda Senkyire Kwarteng ,&nbsp;Gift Dumedah","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100392","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100392","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rapid urbanization in developing cities increases thermal stress, but the links between urban form and socioeconomic vulnerability remain poorly understood. This study examines spatial and temporal changes of land surface temperature (LST) and Urban Heat Island (UHI) in Greater Kumasi, Ghana, using Landsat data from 2015 to 2024. It connects thermal patterns to urban form, Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), Bare Soil Index (BSI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), along with socioeconomic indicators like population and Relative Wealth Index. The analytical techniques include trend detection (Mann–Kendall, Sen's slope), correlation analysis, hotspot mapping, and spatial overlays. The results reveal distinct warming trends, with annual LST increases of up to 1.53 °C and UHI intensification of 0.7 °C in areas such as Sokoban, Magazine, and Kumasi Central. Strong positive correlations between thermal metrics and built-up areas and bare soil underscore the significant role of impervious surfaces in heat accumulation, while weaker and positive relationships with NDVI and NDMI indicate limited cooling from vegetation and moisture. The hotspot analysis demonstrated that extreme thermal conditions predominantly affect high-density and lower-income areas, revealing patterns of unequal heat exposure linked to socioeconomic disadvantages. These findings underscore the need for equity-driven urban heat mitigation strategies, particularly nature-based solutions and climate-conscious planning, to address rising thermal risks in rapidly expanding African cities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 100392"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147991029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"METROCLIMA-MASP: pioneering urban greenhouse gas monitoring in South America’s largest megacity","authors":"Maria de Fatima Andrade ,&nbsp;Marcia Talita Amorim Marques ,&nbsp;Jose Agostinho Gonçalves de Medeiros ,&nbsp;Carlos Eduardo Souto-Oliveira ,&nbsp;Marco A. Franco ,&nbsp;Prashant Kumar ,&nbsp;Lucas Gatti Domingues ,&nbsp;Noele Franchi Leonardo ,&nbsp;Marcia Akemi Yamasoe ,&nbsp;Leslie Lissethe Morales-Espinoza ,&nbsp;Eduardo Landulfo","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100326","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100326","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cities account for over half of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, yet monitoring is very limited, especially in the Global South. A GHG monitoring network was established in 2019 in São Paulo, the largest metropolitan area in the Southern Hemisphere. Five sites were strategically selected, including four measuring surface mole fraction of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and methane (CH₄): Pico do Jaraguá (PDJ; –23.46°, −46.77°), IAG (–23.56°, −46.73°), UNICID (–23.54°, −46.56°), and ICESP (–23.56°, −46.67°). The fifth site, CIENTEC (–23.65°, −46.62°), was dedicated to measuring CO₂ fluxes within a vegetated area. At IAG, δ¹³C-CO₂ was also measured. The results revealed the influence of local sources, vegetation, and surface characteristics on GHG patterns. The elevated, forested site of PDJ provided urban background GHG levels, while urban core sites were heavily affected by traffic and biomass burning. CO₂ levels increased across the city, with annual growth rates of 4.86 ± 2.84 ppm at UNICID (from 2021 to 2024), 4.92 ± 0.56 ppm at IAG (from 2021 to 2024), and 1.67 ± 0.38 ppm at PDJ (2019–2024). CH₄ levels were more stable, exhibiting minor seasonal variability and no clear trend at PDJ. At UNICID, strong CO₂-CO correlations (r &gt; 0.9) during traffic peaks suggested emissions dominated by combustion, while weaker correlations during outside peak hours (r &lt; 0.7) indicated the uptake of CO₂ by the vegetation. Diurnal CO₂ patterns across stations reflected the balance between human activity and biogenic processes, driven by photosynthesis and respiration, emphasizing the role of vegetation in modulating urban CO₂ levels. These results highlight the importance of urban GHG measurements for understanding emission dynamics, assessing the influence of urban structure and meteorology, and supporting mitigation strategies at the city scale. This work clearly highlights the need to establish similar networks across Latin America to fill this critical data gap, which is key for developing effective climate mitigation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 100326"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cross-scale effects and driving mechanisms of spatial structure and functional coupling in coastal city leisure blocks: A case study of the Jiaodong urban agglomeration","authors":"Mingqiao Shen,&nbsp;Tongyan Zhang,&nbsp;Shengrui Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100330","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100330","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As sensitive zones where urban functions and coastal ecosystems intersect, the coupling mismatch between the spatial structure and functions of coastal recreational blocks has become a bottleneck to high-quality urban development; yet, their cross-scale response mechanisms remain underexplored in academia. This study constructs a three-dimensional “scalar nesting − indicator iteration − factor deconstruction” framework, examining 127 coastal city leisure blocks in the Jiaodong urban agglomeration. Utilizing coupling coordination degree and GeoDetector, it reveals cross-scale coupling effects between spatial structure and functionality alongside their driving mechanisms. Key findings include: (1) Block-scale spaces exhibit “morphological regularity yet accessibility stratification”, while urban-scale networks demonstrate “loose connectivity but organized layout”; (2) Cross-scale coupling manifests “structure-function mismatches”, with urban functionality generally outpacing block-scale spatial capacity; (3) Core drivers comprise urban terrain ruggedness, coastline length, and demographic-economic factors, where coastal parameters amplify local terrain influences by 5.3 times through “geographical transducer” effects. The study provides quantitative foundations for optimizing coastal urban leisure space planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 100330"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How does political power centralization affect urban environmental governance? Evidence from 289 cities in China","authors":"Yan Wang ,&nbsp;Ying Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100375","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100375","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Local governments play a crucial role in urban environmental governance, yet the relationship between the power configuration of local officials and environmental performance remains underexplored. Using 2011–2020 panel data for 289 Chinese prefecture-level cities, we examine how power concentration—measured by the municipal Party secretary concurrently serving as chair of the municipal People’s Congress (PCC, proxy for power concentration)—affects urban environmental governance. The results show that the PCC concurrent appointment significantly inhibits urban environmental governance performance, and this finding remains robust to a series of robustness checks. Heterogeneity analyses further indicate that the inhibitory effect is more pronounced in cities without central environmental inspections, those with lower fiscal autonomy, and those with municipal Party secretaries aged under 58. Mechanism analysis reveals that, specifically, the concentration of local political power via PCC weakens the stringency of municipal environmental regulation and leads to a reduction in fiscal environmental expenditures, ultimately constraining improvements in urban environmental governance. This study enriches our understanding of how subnational political power dynamics shape urban environmental governance and provides new institutional insights for optimizing urban environmental governance practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 100375"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147849772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drivers of land-use change: the roles of urban planning boundaries and population concentration areas in Japan over 45 years","authors":"Yuriko Yazawa","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100348","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100348","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the spatial factors influencing land-use transitions is essential for sustainable land management. This study analyzed nationwide land-use change in Japan over 45 years using 100 m governmental land-use grids, examining the effects of institutional zoning and pre-existing land-use patterns. A comparison of 1976 and 2021 land-use revealed that 76.4% of grids exhibited no change, 5.5% experienced urbanization, 4.8% were newly cultivated, 4.5% were abandoned; 1.2% underwent crop conversion, 2.1% experienced vegetation succession, 2.0% were affected by residential relocation, 1.7% involved the creation of new water bodies, 0.9% reflected waterway stabilization, and 0.8% fell into other categories. Among unchanged grids, forests accounted for 59.6%; water bodies, 29.7%; urban land, 3.1%; farmland and paddy fields, 7.1%; and wastelands, 0.4%. Urban planning boundaries effectively mitigated uncontrolled sprawl, However, farmland abandonment occurred more frequently within designated urban planning zones. In contrast, conservation areas were effective in maintaining both farmland and forest land uses. Proximity to DIDs accelerated both urban and non-urban transitions—including farmland abandonment and new cultivation—indicating that the 500–2,000 m range from DIDs constitutes the primary sprawl zone. In this zone, land-use dynamics appear to be shaped more by demographic proximity than by regulatory control. These findings highlight how planning frameworks and population distribution jointly determine land-use trajectories, providing an empirical basis foundation for refining land-use policies that balance urban containment, farmland and forest conservation, and sustainable land management amid demographic decline.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 100348"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147602026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of air pollution tolerance of Hedera helix in urban areas","authors":"Bianka Sipos ,&nbsp;Vanda Éva Abriha-Molnár ,&nbsp;Semonti Mukherjee ,&nbsp;Dina Bibi ,&nbsp;Fanni Zsófia Bárány ,&nbsp;Viktor Oláh ,&nbsp;Béla Tóthmérész ,&nbsp;Tibor Magura ,&nbsp;Edina Simon","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100371","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100371","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rapid urbanisation and industrial development have increased air pollution in cities, reduced green spaces, and affected human health and ecosystem functions. Vegetation, such as trees and climbing plants, mitigate pollution by capturing airborne particulate matter. The main objective of this study was to examine spatial and seasonal patterns of urban air pollution in Debrecen, Hungary, based on leaf surface dust deposition on common ivy (<em>Hedera helix</em> L.) as an indicator and to assess its physiological responses of at urban sites. <em>Hedera helix</em> leaves were collected from bus stops across the city. Seasonal variations in the pigment, ascorbic acid, and water contents, pH, dust deposition, and Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) were analysed. Dust showed the largest relative increase (458–3042%) at urban sampling sites, whereas the carotenoid (54.8–132.7%) and ascorbic acid contents (113–133%) increased moderately. Chlorophyll varied between − 62.9% and + 64.8% compared to the control. The dust and pigment contents in the leaves decreased with increasing distance from the city centre, while the ascorbic acid content increased. APTI values classified <em>H. helix</em> as an air pollution-sensitive species, with variations across sites and seasons. Variance analysis and principal component analysis highlighted the seasonal dynamics of leaf physiological traits. These findings demonstrate that <em>H. helix</em> effectively reflects urban air pollution and environmental stress, supporting its use as a bioindicator in urban ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 100371"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diurnal asymmetry and structural regime shifts in Mediterranean urban temperature records","authors":"Renalda El-Samra","doi":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100402","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cacint.2026.100402","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mediterranean cities are experiencing rapid warming, yet the temporal evolution of their thermal regimes remains insufficiently understood. This study analyzes quality-controlled daily temperature observations (1990–2020) from twelve Mediterranean coastal cities to investigate regional and local dimensions of urban temperature change through monotonic trend analysis, diurnal asymmetry diagnostics, and structural break detection. Results reveal a coherent warming signal, with statistically significant maximum temperature increases in 11 of 12 cities. Conversely, minimum temperature trends exhibit spatial heterogeneity, remaining significant in only four cities. Diurnal asymmetry analysis suggests a non-significant tendency toward daytime-dominant warming across the study cities, although this basin-wide asymmetry does not reach statistical significance. Structural break analysis identifies significant regime shifts in nighttime temperatures in four cities between 2000 and 2010. These findings suggest that observed warming patterns may reflect a combination of regional climate forcing and possible localized influences, although attribution of these influences is beyond the scope of this study. The results highlight the need for integrated planning strategies to mitigate both daytime heat intensification and nighttime heat retention in rapidly warming Mediterranean environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52395,"journal":{"name":"City and Environment Interactions","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 100402"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148167302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}