Global urban vegetation exhibits divergent thermal effects: From cooling to warming as aridity increases

Science Advances 2026 Open access

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Authors: Zhengfei Guo, Manuel Esperón‐Rodríguez, Édouard L. Davin, Heng Huang, Bin Chen, Mohamad Hejazi, Jin Wu, Jian Wang, Yunfeng Ge, Guangqin Song, Yingyi Zhao, Kuishuang Feng
+3 more Chen Lin, Peng Gong, Yuyu Zhou
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aea9165
Cited by: 33
References: 62

Abstract

Urban vegetation, a key nature-based solution for mitigating heat stress, is critical as global warming, and urban heat islands amplify high temperatures in cities, affecting over half the global population. Yet, its potential warming effects remain unquantified globally, with mechanisms unclear. Using high-resolution satellite and climate data, we provide the first global assessment of vegetation's temperature regulation across 761 megacities across 105 countries, uncovering a paradox: cooling weakens in arid environments; and in 22% of cities with

Fields of Study & Subjects

Urban Heat Island Mitigation Land Use and Ecosystem Services Climate change and permafrost

Publication details

Journal / source
Science Advances
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
eaea9165–eaea9165
Publication date
2 January 2026
Language
EN