Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The following is a call for papers for the Topic “Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition”, which aims to empower decision-makers and energy stakeholders to join forces and proactively address the challenges of climate change. The current rate of global warming, being 1.0–1.1 °C above pre-industrial levels, has caused various natural disasters that pose significant challenges for human living environments. In the coming decades, the rate of global warming is expected to hit the threshold of 1.5 °C with severe environmental, economic, and social consequences. This Topic aims to establish a holistic framework to address the immense challenge of climate change whilst achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

In this framework, climate change mitigation and the decarbonization of society are at the root of addressing this challenge. Climate change adaptation requires immediate action to increase resilience and reduce climate-related impacts and risks. This framework prioritizes sustainable urban–rural transformation and the decarbonization of the built environment since cities and the built environment are the main settlements of human beings and the key sites of implementation for climate resiliency, mitigation, and adaptation. Moreover, this framework encourages the involvement and participation of all professions in society to accelerate progress in climate change mitigation by developing sound climate-related governance systems in education, policy, and advocacy.

This Topic, “Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Volume”, welcomes high-quality works focusing on the development and implementation of systems, ideas, pathways, solutions, strategies, technologies, and pilot cases and exemplars that are relevant to climate change impact measurement and assessment, mitigation and adaptation strategies and techniques, and public participation and governance. Relevant themes include but are not limited to the following:

Climate Change Impact Assessment

• Climate change prediction and analysis
• Climate-related impacts on infrastructure
• Human comfort, health, well-being, and work productivity
• Vulnerability assessment among different groups
• Climate-related injustice and inequality
• Climate-induced population migration
• Climate impacts on low-income countries
• Direct and indirect economic losses
• Ecosystem service deterioration

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

• Greenhouse gas emissions and measurement
• Climate-related disasters and reduction
• Risk and vulnerability assessment and visualization
• Ecosystem services and carbon sequestration
• Sustainable transport and climate change mitigation and adaptation
• Sustainable building and construction
• Industry decarbonization and economic growth
• Renewable and clean energy potential and implementation
• Environmental, economic, and social benefits of climate change mitigation

Sustainable Urban–Rural Planning and Design

• Climate change and regional economic development
• Territorial spatial planning and carbon neutrality
• Urban overheating mitigation and adaptation
• Sustainable land use and planning
• Low-carbon cities and communities
• Wind-sensitive urban planning and design
• Urban morphology and environmental performance
• Innovative technologies, models, methods, and tools for spatial planning
• Regional ecological restoration and ecological security
• Nature-based solutions for urban planning and design
• Healthy land use and planning

Decarbonization of the Built Environment

• Demands on energy, materials, and water
• Assessment methods, systems, and tools
• Sustainable energy, materials, and water systems
• Energy efficiency design technologies and appliances
• Smart technology and sustainable operation
• Uptake and integration of clean energy
• Innovative materials for carbon reduction and environmental regulation
• Building demolition and material recycling and reuse
• Sustainable building retrofitting and assessment
• Circular economy strategies for a sustainable built environment
• Innovation for construction and demolition waste management

Climate-Related Governance and Challenges

• Targets, pathways, and roadmaps toward carbon neutrality
• Pathways for climate resilience and future sustainability
• Challenges, opportunities, and solutions for climate resilience
• Climate change governance coalition (network) development and challenges
• Co-benefits, synergies, conflicts, and trade-offs of climate actions
• Mapping, accounting, and trading carbon emissions
• Governance models, policies, regulations, and programs
• Financing urban climate change actions
• Education, policy, and advocacy for preparation

Sustainable Transport and Land Use

• Environmentally friendly transport planning and policy
• Environmentally friendly land use planning and policy
• Low-carbon built environment
• Low-carbon physical environment
• Transit-oriented development (TOD)

Prof. Dr. Baojie He
Prof. Dr. Ali Cheshmehzangi
Prof. Dr. Shady Attia
Dr. Zhengxuan Liu
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Buildings buildings	3.1	3.4	2011	15.3 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Forests forests	2.4	4.4	2010	16.2 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Land land	3.2	4.9	2012	16.9 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Remote Sensing remotesensing	4.2	8.3	2009	23.9 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Smart Cities smartcities	7.0	11.2	2018	28.4 Days	CHF 2000	Submit
Sustainability sustainability	3.3	6.8	2009	19.7 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Atmosphere atmosphere	2.5	4.6	2010	16.1 Days	CHF 2400	Submit

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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All Buildings Forests Land Remote Sensing Smart Cities Sustainability Atmosphere

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22 pages, 10154 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

A Century of Water–Socioecological Dynamics and Evolutionary Stages in Lake Victoria Basin, East Africa

by Xinxin Zhang, Mengyuan Wang, Shiying Jin, Ismael A. Kimirei and Qun Gao

Land 2025, 14(4), 906; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040906 - 20 Apr 2025

Abstract

Understanding the feedback relationships and evolutionary stages of water–socioecological systems (W-SESs) is crucial for achieving sustainable development in basins. This study focuses on the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) in East Africa, where population growth, rapid urbanization, and developing industrialization have intensified water resource [...] Read more.

Understanding the feedback relationships and evolutionary stages of water–socioecological systems (W-SESs) is crucial for achieving sustainable development in basins. This study focuses on the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) in East Africa, where population growth, rapid urbanization, and developing industrialization have intensified water resource supply–demand conflicts, leading to socioecological issues such as water environmental degradation and ecological conflicts. The objective of this research is to develop a theoretical framework for the Lake Victoria Basin W-SESs (LVB-WSESs) based on the SES framework, identify the main drivers and critical nodes in the evolution of the LVB-WSESs, analyze the root causes of water–society–ecology conflicts, and explore the feedback relationships and evolutionary stages of the LVB-WSESs over the past century. To achieve this, we employed an integrated qualitative and quantitative analysis of historical data combined with tipping point detection to systematically assess the dynamics of the LVB-WSESs. Our findings show that, under the drivers of climate change (with a 1 °C increase in annual temperature since 1920s), population growth (a six-fold increase since 1920s), economic development, land-use change, urbanization, and species invasion, the basin’s demand for water resources, water environments, and aquatic ecosystems has continually increased, leading to the gradual degradation and imbalance of the basin’s ecological functions. The evolution of the LVB-WSESs can be divided into five stages against the historical backdrop of societal transitions from colonial to independent democratic systems: the stable resource utilization period, the slow environmental change period (1920s–1960s), the rapid environmental imbalance period (1960s–1990s), the transition period from environmental imbalance to protection (1990s–2015), and the reconstruction period of socioecological equilibrium. This study not only enhances understanding of the long-term dynamics of the LVB-WSESs but also provides practical implications for sustainable water management in similar basins globally. It enriches the local practice of global sustainable development theories, providing new theoretical perspectives and case references for future watershed sustainable management. By identifying critical drivers and evolutionary stages, our findings can inform policy decisions and interventions to mitigate socioecological conflicts and achieve basin-level sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition)

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18 pages, 6835 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Response of Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) of the Desert Steppe Ecosystem in the Northern Foothills of Yinshan Mountain to Extreme Climate

by Shuixia Zhao, Mengmeng Zhang, Yingjie Wu, Enliang Guo, Yongfang Wang, Shengjie Cui and Tomasz Kolerski

Land 2025, 14(4), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040884 - 16 Apr 2025

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Abstract

The desert steppe ecosystem at the Northern Foothills of the Yinshan Mountains (NFYS) is characterized by its fragility and heightened sensitivity to global climate change. Understanding the response and lag effects of Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) to climate change is imperative for advancing [...] Read more.

The desert steppe ecosystem at the Northern Foothills of the Yinshan Mountains (NFYS) is characterized by its fragility and heightened sensitivity to global climate change. Understanding the response and lag effects of Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) to climate change is imperative for advancing ecological management and fostering sustainable development. The spatiotemporal dynamics of chlorophyll fluorescence-based GPP data and its responses to precipitation, temperature, and extreme climate from 2001 to 2023 were analyzed. The random forest model and the partial least squares regression model were employed to further elucidate the response mechanisms of GPP to extreme climate, with a specific focus on the lag effect. The findings revealed that the GPP in the NFYS exhibited distinct regional characteristics, demonstrating a predominantly increasing trend over the past 23 years. The region has experienced a warming and drying trend, marked by a decrease in the intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation events, and an increase in extremely high temperatures and consecutive hot days, except a slight, albeit insignificant, increase in precipitation in the northeastern part. GPP exhibits varying degrees of lag, ranging from one to three months, in response to both normal and extreme climatic conditions, with a more immediate response to extreme temperatures than to precipitation. The influence of different climatic conditions on the lag effects of GPP can amplify the negative effects of extreme temperatures and the positive impact of extreme precipitation. The anticipated trend towards a warmer and more humid climate is projected to foster an increase in GPP. This research is of great theoretical and practical significance for deeply understanding the adaptation mechanisms of ecosystems under the context of climate change, optimizing desertification control strategies, and enhancing regional ecological resilience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition)

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24 pages, 120861 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Greenness of Sanandaj City Using Sentinel Imagery in Google Earth Engine

by Werya Lotfi, Neda Abbasi, Ali Cheshmehzangi, Loghman Khodakarami and Hamideh Nouri

Sustainability 2025, 17(8), 3471; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083471 - 13 Apr 2025

Viewed by 243

Abstract

Urban greenery and cooling initiatives have become top priorities for municipalities worldwide as they contribute to improved environmental quality and urban resilience. This study leverages advancements in remote sensing (RS) and cloud-based processing to assess and monitor changes in public urban green spaces [...] Read more.

Urban greenery and cooling initiatives have become top priorities for municipalities worldwide as they contribute to improved environmental quality and urban resilience. This study leverages advancements in remote sensing (RS) and cloud-based processing to assess and monitor changes in public urban green spaces (PUGS) in Sanandaj, Iran. Using high-resolution Sentinel-2 imagery (10 m) processed in Google Earth Engine (GEE), we calculated and mapped the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) across 20 major PUGSs over a five-year period, from 2019 to 2023. A total of 507 Sentinel-2 images were analyzed, offering a comprehensive view of seasonal and annual greenness trends. Our findings reveal that May is the peak month for greenery, while February consistently shows the lowest NDVI values, indicating seasonal greenness variability. Specifically, the mean NDVI of PUGSs decreased significantly between 2019 and 2022, with values recorded at 0.735, 0.737, 0.622, 0.417, and 0.570 in the greenest month of each respective year, highlighting a noticeable decline in vegetation health and extent. This reduction can be attributed to water scarcity and suboptimal management practices, as evidenced by dried or underperforming green spaces in recent years. Our results underscore the potential of integrating NDVI-based assessments within urban development frameworks to more accurately define and sustain PUGSs in Sanandaj. This methodology provides a replicable approach for cities aiming to optimize urban greenery management through RS technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition)

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23 pages, 13843 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Scenario Simulation of Land Use Change and Ecosystem Health Assessment in Chengdu Metropolitan Area Based on SD-PLUS-VORS Coupled Modeling

by Jiancheng Yu, Shuting Guo, Shiyuan Wang and Yanyun Luo

Sustainability 2025, 17(7), 3202; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17073202 - 3 Apr 2025

Viewed by 348

Abstract

Human activities exert considerable influence on ecosystem health, a cornerstone for fostering sustainable regional growth, largely through their effects on land use transformations. This study integrates a system dynamics (SD) model with the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model and the VORS (vigor–organization–resilience–ecosystem [...] Read more.

Human activities exert considerable influence on ecosystem health, a cornerstone for fostering sustainable regional growth, largely through their effects on land use transformations. This study integrates a system dynamics (SD) model with the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model and the VORS (vigor–organization–resilience–ecosystem services) model to simulate the spatiotemporal dynamics of land use/cover change (LUCC) and assess ecosystem health in the Chengdu Metropolitan Area (CMA) from 2020 to 2035. These projections were conducted under three distinct scenarios: the ecological protection scenario (EPS), the natural development scenario (NDS), and the economic development scenario (EDS). The findings indicate the following: (1) Under EPS, NDS, and EDS, both cultivated land and grassland areas decline, and construction land expands by 40.68%, 54.76%, and 75.01%, respectively. (2) Across all three scenarios, ecosystem health demonstrates improvement, and it shifts from “poor” to “moderate.” (3) Ecosystem health levels in the CMA demonstrate significant spatial heterogeneity; they exhibit “low” levels in the central city, while generally stable levels are observed throughout the surrounding region. These results offer a strong scientific foundation for cultivating sustainable land management strategies and protecting ecosystem health in the CMA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition)

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25 pages, 7863 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of the Impacts of Different Carbon Sources and Sinks on Atmospheric CO₂ Concentrations Based on GEOS-Chem

by Ge Qu, Jia Zhou, Yusheng Shi, Yongliang Yang, Mengqian Su, Wen Wu and Zhitao Zhou

Remote Sens. 2025, 17(6), 1009; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17061009 - 13 Mar 2025

Viewed by 451

Abstract

Global atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, driven by anthropogenic emissions and natural carbon cycle dynamics, have emerged as a critical accelerator of climate change. However, due to the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of carbon sources and sinks, estimating CO₂ flux remains highly uncertain. Accurately quantifying [...] Read more.

Global atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, driven by anthropogenic emissions and natural carbon cycle dynamics, have emerged as a critical accelerator of climate change. However, due to the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of carbon sources and sinks, estimating CO₂ flux remains highly uncertain. Accurately quantifying the contribution of various carbon sources and sinks to atmospheric CO₂ concentration is essential for understanding the carbon cycle and global carbon balance. In this study, GEOS-Chem (version 13.2.1), driven by MERRA-2 meteorological data, was used to simulate monthly global CO₂ concentrations from 2006 to 2010. The model was configured with a horizontal resolution of 2.5° longitude × 2.0° latitude and 47 vertical hybrid-sigma layers up to 0.01 hPa. To evaluate the impact of different emission sources and sinks, the “Inventory switching and replacing” approach was applied, designing a series of numerical experiments in which individual emission sources were selectively disabled. The contributions of eight major CO₂ flux components, including fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning, balanced biosphere, net land exchange, aviation, shipping, ocean exchange, and chemical sources, were quantified by comparing the baseline simulation (BASE) with source-specific perturbation experiments (no_X). The results show that global CO₂ concentration exhibits a spatial pattern with higher concentrations in the Northern Hemisphere and land areas, with East Asia, Southeast Asia, and eastern North America being high-concentration regions. The global average CO₂ concentration increased by 1.8 ppm year⁻¹ from 2006 to 2010, with China’s eastern region experiencing the highest growth rate of 3.0 ppm year⁻¹. Fossil fuel combustion is identified as the largest CO₂ emission source, followed by biomass burning, while oceans and land serve as significant CO₂ sinks. The impact of carbon flux on atmospheric CO₂ concentration is primarily determined by the spatial distribution of emissions, with higher flux intensities in industrialized and biomass-burning regions leading to more pronounced local concentration increases. Conversely, areas with strong carbon sinks, such as forests and oceans, exhibit lower net CO₂ accumulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition)

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27 pages, 27425 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Creating a Thermally Comfortable Environment for Public Spaces in Coastal Villages Considering Both Spatial Genetics and Landscape Elements

by Yue Pang, Xueyu Tang, Cheng Wang and Li Li

Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2488; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062488 - 12 Mar 2025

Viewed by 394

Abstract

Thermal comfort is an important criterion affecting the comfort evaluation of public spaces in villages. However, related studies remain scarce because of the intricate climates of seafront villages. In this study, the effect of landscape elements on thermal comfort within public spaces in [...] Read more.

Thermal comfort is an important criterion affecting the comfort evaluation of public spaces in villages. However, related studies remain scarce because of the intricate climates of seafront villages. In this study, the effect of landscape elements on thermal comfort within public spaces in seafront villages was examined. The spatial gene method was employed to extract the layout characteristics of typical public spaces and identify villages with the most comprehensive spatial elements as simulation subjects to enhance our understanding. The Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) was selected to quantitatively assess the effect of landscape elements on thermal comfort. The analysis results revealed varying thermal mitigation capacities across different types of landscape elements. Plants, notably in plazas and courtyards, along with buildings on beaches, emerged as the most significant contributors to thermal comfort. Moreover, a diurnal variation in the influence of landscape elements on thermal comfort was observed, attributed to the unique climatic conditions of seafront villages. During daytime, structural elements exerted the most substantial effect on PET in public spaces, accounting for more than 60%, whereas their influence waned in the evening. In contrast, as the sea breeze intensified in the evening, the planting method contributed over 71% to PET. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition)

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18 pages, 271 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Impact of Atmospheric Environment Self-Purification Capacity on Fog-Haze Pollution

by Jingkun Zhou, Yating Li, Xiao Zhao and Ting Yin

Atmosphere 2025, 16(3), 318; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16030318 - 10 Mar 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 386

Abstract

Why is fog-haze pollution very serious in Hebei province, where there are many pollution-intensive industries, and in Guangdong province, where it is not so serious? This paper uses the spatial Durbin model, the threshold effect model, and relevant local city data, etc., to [...] Read more.

Why is fog-haze pollution very serious in Hebei province, where there are many pollution-intensive industries, and in Guangdong province, where it is not so serious? This paper uses the spatial Durbin model, the threshold effect model, and relevant local city data, etc., to explore the effect of the atmospheric environment’s self-purification capacity on haze pollution from the perspective of green technology innovation. We found that the great haze outbreak in China is due to the large amount of ultrafine-particle low-cost emissions caused by the haze detection by weight method implemented in 2011 and 2012. This study also found that haze pollution in China has a significant impact on the atmospheric environment’s self-purification capacity. The atmospheric environment’s self-purification capacity has an inhibitory effect on haze pollution. When green technology innovation reaches the first threshold, the atmospheric self-purification capacity can significantly reduce the impact of haze pollution. When green technology innovation reaches the second threshold, the atmospheric self-purification capacity to reduce haze pollution is significantly enhanced. China’s local haze pollution is serious due to the industrial layout being unreasonable, caused by high-pollution industries emitting particles beyond the limits of atmospheric environment self-purification capacity. Industries in Hebei Province and Guangdong Province are more pollution-intensive, and haze pollution in Hebei Province is serious due to the weak self-purification capacity of the atmospheric environment. Guangdong Province’s atmospheric environment self-purification capacity is strong, and its haze pollution is not serious. Given the scientific use of atmospheric environment self-purification capacity and regional differences in green technology innovation, the development of targeted green input and atmospheric self-purification capacity enhancement policies in areas with serious air pollution, along with green technology innovations based on a region with less pollution, would be beneficial. To increase the amount of green technology innovation investment in regions where the atmospheric environment is not seriously polluted and green technology innovation is based on a bad region, more green funds should be invested in the atmospheric environment’s self-purification capacity. In regions where the atmospheric environment is not seriously polluted and the foundation of green technology innovation needs improvement, more green funds should be invested into atmospheric environment self-purification capacity to fully harness its inhibition of haze pollution. This should be accompanied by scientific planning and adjustments to the high-pollution industrial layout, etc., to effectively enhance the self-purification capacity of the regional atmospheric environment. In addition, the gradient transfer of high-pollution industries should be implemented based on atmospheric environment self-purification capacity to effectively reduce the impact of haze pollution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition)

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21 pages, 6436 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Climate Change Amplifies the Effects of Vegetation Restoration on Evapotranspiration and Water Availability in the Beijing–Tianjin Sand Source Region, Northern China

by Xiaoyong Li, Yan Lv, Wenfeng Chi, Zhongen Niu, Zihao Bian and Jing Wang

Land 2025, 14(3), 527; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14030527 - 3 Mar 2025

Viewed by 526

Abstract

Evapotranspiration (ET) and water availability (WA) are critical components of the global water cycle. Although the effects of ecological restoration on ET and WA have been widely investigated, quantifying the impacts of multiple environmental factors on plant water consumption and regional water balance [...] Read more.

Evapotranspiration (ET) and water availability (WA) are critical components of the global water cycle. Although the effects of ecological restoration on ET and WA have been widely investigated, quantifying the impacts of multiple environmental factors on plant water consumption and regional water balance in dryland areas remains challenging. In this study, we investigated the spatial and temporal trends of ET and WA and isolated the contributions of vegetation restoration and climate change to variations in ET and WA in the Beijing–Tianjin Sand Source Region (BTSSR) in Northern China from 2001 to 2021, using the remote sensing-based Priestley–Taylor-Jet Propulsion Laboratory (PT-JPL) model and scenario simulation experiments. The results indicate that the estimated ET was consistent with field observations and state-of-the-art ET products. The annual ET in the BTSSR increased significantly by 1.28 mm yr⁻¹ from 2001 to 2021, primarily driven by vegetation restoration (0.78 mm yr⁻¹) and increased radiation (0.73 mm yr⁻¹). In contrast, the drier climate led to a decrease of 0.56 mm yr⁻¹ in ET. In semiarid areas, vegetation and radiation were the dominant factors driving the variability of ET, while in arid areas, relative humidity played a more critical role. Furthermore, reduced precipitation and increased plant water consumption resulted in a decline in WA by −0.91 mm yr⁻¹ during 2001–2021. Climate factors, rather than vegetation greening, determined the WA variations in the BTSSR, accounting for 77.6% of the total area. These findings can provide valuable insights for achieving sustainable ecological restoration and ensuring the sustainability of regional water resources in dryland China under climate change. This study also highlights the importance of simultaneously considering climate change and vegetation restoration in assessing their negative impacts on regional water availability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition)

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27 pages, 37733 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Trends, Atmospheric Patterns, and Spatial Variability of Heatwaves in an Oceanic Climate Area of NW Iberia

by Luis Pérez-García, Cristina García-Hernández and Jesús Ruiz-Fernández

Land 2025, 14(2), 310; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14020310 - 2 Feb 2025

Viewed by 862

Abstract

In the Atlantic region of northern Spain, heat extremes were historically rare, but in recent decades, they have become more intense and persistent. This article characterizes heat events in Asturias (NW Spain) between 2001 and 2023, focusing on their frequency, intensity, and duration, [...] Read more.

In the Atlantic region of northern Spain, heat extremes were historically rare, but in recent decades, they have become more intense and persistent. This article characterizes heat events in Asturias (NW Spain) between 2001 and 2023, focusing on their frequency, intensity, and duration, as well as their temporal trends. Additionally, it explores the synoptic patterns linked to these episodes to enhance understanding of their occurrence and evolution over the study period. The research is based on official meteorological records, and it distinguishes between officially declared heatwaves (DHs) and significant heat events (SHEs) identified through regional press reports. This methodology enables the study to capture a broader spectrum of heat-related impacts. During the study period, 17 episodes were documented (11 DHs and 6 SHEs). The frequency, intensity, and duration of heat events have significantly increased, particularly since 2016, standing the last two years (2022 and 2023). Both DHs and SHEs have progressively shifted toward the early and late periods of the astronomical summer, with some events occurring during spring and autumn in the second half of the study period (years 2017, 2022, and 2023). Three atmospheric patterns have been identified as responsible for extreme heat episodes; Type 1 (warm tropical continental air masses, combined with atmospheric stability) is responsible for 10 of the episodes. Furthermore, urban areas and main river valleys were the most affected areas, while coastal regions remained largely unaffected. This research aims to contribute to a broader understanding of how heatwaves are evolving in a temperate climate area under the influence of global warming, providing insights to inform and improve adaptation strategies for mitigating their impacts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, 4th Edition)

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