Spatial Pattern of Urban Heat Island to Enhance Urban Cooling Ecosystem Services in the Post-Pandemic Era

Abstract

Urbanization, followed by reduced green space, often leads to increased land surface temperatures (LST), which is also known as the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Urban cooling ecosystem services provided by forests and parks play a crucial role in reducing the UHI effect (which is reflected in LST) and improving the liveability and sustainability of cities. The pandemic has changed many people’s views about the importance of ecosystem services to their well-being. The post-pandemic era is a turning point for infrastructure and environmental improvements to increase ecosystem services’ benefits. This study aims to look at the potential for increasing ecosystem services’ benefits through the provision of urban forests and parks based on UHI conditions in Surakarta city. In this study, UHI was identified from LST based on Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 remote sensing images. The spatial pattern of the UHI was analyzed based on block units using road boundaries using cluster and outlier statistical spatial analysis. In formulating alternatives to provide urban forests and parks, we also interviewed stakeholders from a village revitalization program in Kampung Mojo, Surakarta city. The results show that after the pandemic, in a revitalized neighborhood, the surface temperature was still high. The revitalization program did not include the provision of parks because the basic issue of this program is land ownership legality. Nevertheless, the UHI spatial pattern provides evidence that the provision of urban forests and parks is needed on the central and southern sides of Surakarta city to enhance urban cooling ecosystem services.