Urban heat islands and disasters in Bojonegoro Regency: The spatial change of climate change impacts

Abstract Resting in the midst of climate change is the UHI phenomenon, one that rapidly intensifies due to the augmentation in the amplitude of natural disasters. The research focuses on the spatial change of UHI in connection with disasters within the highly vulnerable region of Bojonegoro Regency. The research employs multi-temporal satellite remote sensing to derive Land Surface Temperature (LST) from the years 2004 to 2024 for assessing changes in the intensity of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon. Drought and flood disaster records were collected from appropriate government institutions. The UHI phenomenon is the subject of a series of geographic ‘hotspot’ analyses, which use GIS to determine the geographic origin of UHI concentration and distribution. The results from UHI analytical ‘hotspot’ techniques will then be plotted against specific records of flood disasters for investigation on potential correlations between the increase of UHI and the frequency/severity of the underlying disasters. These ‘hotspot’ and ‘coldspot’ UHI spatial analysis results from Bojonegoro will comfirm that the appropriate flood and drought disasters can be identified. The UHI coldspot located along the banks of the Bengawan Solo River is particularly interesting, especially due to its drought and flooding UHI colder region. Additionally, the urban center is a UHI hotspot that also suffers from flooding and drought. This also stresses Bojonegoro Regency’s preparations for disasters beyond the riverbank area, now augmented to include the urban area.