Climate Justice in the Concrete Jungle: Exploring Urban Heat Islands and Equity

Disparities in Urban Heat Island (UHI) Intensity Studies have found disparities in the distribution of UHI intensity within single cities, indicating differences in heat exposure based on location within urban areas. Phoenix, known as the hottest city in America, has dealt with heat-related deaths by recognizing that the impact of heat waves does not affect everyone equally. Research has shown that low-income and predominantly Latino neighborhoods in the Southwest endure hotter temperatures, highlighting thermal inequities. There are significant temperature differences between rural and urban areas due to the heat island effect, which can result in disparities in cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Due to variations in the surface urban heat island (SUHI) effect, communities that have historically been marginalized are exposed to significantly higher SUHI temperatures than predominantly White communities within the same city.