Socio-economic impacts - urban climate
Schlünzen, K.H.; Bohnenstengel, S.I. (2016). Socio-economic impacts - urban climate, in: Quante, M. et al. North Sea region climate change assessment. Regional Climate Studies, : pp. 417-429. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39745-0_15 In: Quante, M.; Colijn, F. (Ed.) (2016). North Sea region climate change assessment. Regional Climate Studies. Springer: Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-319-39743-6. xlv, 528 pp., more In: Regional Climate Studies. Springer: Berlin. ISSN 1862-0248; e-ISSN 1865-505X, more |   |
| Authors | | Top | - Schlünzen, K.H.
- Bohnenstengel, S.I.
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| Abstract | About 80 % of the population within the North Sea countries currently lives in an urban area and this percentage is projected to continue to rise. Urban areas are not only impacted by changes in regional climate but are themselves responsible for causing local modifications in regional climate resulting in the so-called ‘urban climate’. The urban climate in North Sea cities has several common features: higher temperatures relative to the surrounding regions (especially at night), greater temperature variability, deeper but less stable boundary layers at night, lower average wind speeds but stronger gusts, reduced evapotranspiration, and greater air pollution (local exceedances of limit values for nitrogen oxides, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, with ship emissions a relevant contributor in harbour cities). Indications of climate change are now apparent and include hinterland flooding, more intense precipitation, and drier and warmer summers. Cities contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and measures are needed to reduce these. Cities also need to adapt to climate change. Despite broad similarities between urban areas, in terms of mitigation and adaptation to climate change there are large location-specific differences with regard to city planning needs. Hamburg and London are used as examples. Adaptation measures include better insulation of buildings to reduce energy use and anthropogenic heat emissions, higher dykes to protect against increased water levels, and rain water drainage to avoid hinterland flooding. Scenarios are outlined for urban development with greened roofs, higher albedo values and lower sealing of surfaces. |
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