Long-term temporal and spatial divergence patterns of urban heat risk in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration

Abstract

As urbanization accelerates and global warming intensifies, urban heat risks are increasingly becoming a critical issue and addressing this challenge to foster more harmonious and livable urban environments is essential. In our study, multisource remote sensing and point-of-interest (POI) data were applied to assess the urban heat risks in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration from 2001 to 2020. The results indicated that the heat hazard, exposure, and sensitivity were notably greater in the southeastern of the BTH. Conversely, the heat adaptability was lower in the southeast, leading to a severe high heat risk in this region. From 2001 to 2020, the heat risk index (HRI) values for these cities generally displayed an upward trend, peaking in 2015. Among the cities, Handan had the highest heat risk, followed by Baoding and Beijing, with HRIs of 0.32, 0.32, and 0.31, respectively. In urban areas, commercial zones had the highest average HRI at 0.3, while public management zones had the lowest at 0.28. These findings highlight significant variations in heat risk, indicating the need for targeted urban planning and heat mitigation strategies in the most affected areas of the BTH.