About this Research Topic
The conversion of fields, grasslands, and forests into urban areas has resulted in increased atmospheric pollution. This highlights the importance of studying the impacts of urban development on climate change. GHGs play a crucial role in balancing the Earth’s radiation budget. However, economic development has negatively impacted urban environments, leading to phenomena like photochemical smog, acid rain, extreme temperatures, changing humidity levels, droughts, and increased frequency of floods.
Scientists are concerned about the changes in the Earth's energy balance due to land use and cover changes. The expansion of urban areas, population growth, and human settlements have immediate effects on climatic and environmental parameters. Agricultural activities, mechanical and commercial practices, and the growth of impermeable surfaces have transformed plants, soil, and urban structures, influencing the surface energy budget and impacting biophysical weather patterns in cities.
The objective of this Research Topic is to advance our understanding of the urban environmental impact on climate, and their interactions and relationships such as (but not limited to):
1. How much climate change has occurred due to urban environmental changes?
2. What are the impacts of urban environmental change on climate change?
3. How urban environmental change or GHGs emissions have caused changes in the climate of any region?
4. What are the relationships and interactions of urban environmental change parameters with changing climate?
5. How sustainable urban environments may be developed to mitigate the impacts on climate?
Keywords: urban environment, global warming, climate change, air pollution, biodiversity change, ecological balance, extreme temperature and precipitation, droughts, flooding, land cover, land use, greenhouse gases, emissions, environmental impacts, physical impact
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