Page 351 - Çevre Şehir İklim İngilizce - Sayı 4

Süleyman Toy - Zeynep Eren

Figure 1. Climate system, external forcings and role of urbanization (based on IPCC 2018)

It has been known since Luke Howard’s work in London in the early 1800s
that due to the human-induced effects in cities,
• more solar radiation is retained and converted into heat (because of
greenhouse gas and aerosol production from industry, domestic and
traffic sources),
• horizontal air movements are hindered and thus heat exchange and
cooling between air and surfaces are reduced (effect of buildings and
surface roughness),
• additional heat is produced and released into the urban environment
(heat release from combustion due to industry, domestic heating-
cooling and motor vehicle traffic),
• heat losses due to evaporation are reduced as built-up (covered)
surfaces prevent evaporation,
and hence cities exhibit different climate characteristics, especially
being warmer, compared to their surrounding environment. (Howard 1820;
Landsberg 1981; WMO 2023).
The measurement, monitoring and evaluation of the relationships
between the mentioned micro, local and meso scale urban characteristics
and meteorological parameters over many years play a highly significant role
in reducing the impacts of cities on the elements of climate and improving
their capability to adapt to climate change by producing innovative solutions
(Kazancı and Tezer 2021).

340 The Journal of Environment, Urban and Climate