Madrid Spain)
In an increasingly populated world, the few green spaces that remain are being replaced by concrete and block landscapes; not in vain, we all want at least one apartment where we can live. However, the urban population is increasing rapidly, and in doing so our city is becoming what is known as an »urban heat island».
But the problem does not end there, but these overheated cities will have a much higher climate cost than those that are not, according to a study published in the journal "Nature Climate Change."
El study, in which 1692 cities were analyzed, shows that the effects of climate change could cost urban heat islands 2,6 times moreAs this effect would cause the temperature to rise two degrees more by the year 2050. Of course, when it is so hot, air conditioning is used more and, often, it is preferred to take the car rather than walk. All in all, what we do is decrease air and water quality, leading to more illnesses and premature deaths.
Thus, the authors of the work, scientists from the University of Sussex (United Kingdom), the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the University of Vrije (Amsterdam), said that It is convenient to choose to install roofs and pavements that reflect sunlight, as well as to expand green areas in cities.
Cities, although they only cover around 1% of the planet's surface, produce around 80% of the Gross World Product and consume about 78% of the world's energy. Furthermore, they are home to more than half of the world's population. So it is very important to take effective measures so that all these people can breathe much cleaner air than they do today.