Tropical Cities Exhibit Amplified Warming Under 2°C

A University of East Anglia-led study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on February 3, used climate projections and machine learning to project land surface temperature changes in 104 medium-sized tropical and subtropical cities. It finds 81% of these cities warm more than surrounding rural areas, and 16% may experience 50–100% higher daytime warming under 2°C global warming. The results suggest conventional models likely underestimate urban heat risks, with implications for urban planning and public-health preparedness.