How to cool cities, from heat officers to pavement sunscreen
Heat waves in the headlines – from Texas to Taiwan – renew climate change calls to action. Beyond personal pledges, there’s interest in more systemic contributions from cities, which are disproportionate polluters of greenhouse gases.
From the sweltering state of Arizona, Ladd Keith and Sara Meerow outline possible solutions. Their American Planning Association report published this year explores strategies for curbing urban heat islands – zones that are hotter than outlying areas – and urges paying more attention to heat equity.
“Everyone in the community should have a thermally safe indoor and outdoor environment,” explains Dr. Meerow, associate professor at the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at Arizona State University.
She and Dr. Keith, an assistant professor of planning at the University of Arizona, spoke with the Monitor about heat equity,
