Spatiotemporal Analysis of Thermal Inequity: A Case Study of Hong Kong

Abstract

In recent years, thermal inequity research has received mounting interest amongst researchers worldwide. The present study aims to conduct a spatiotemporal analysis of thermal inequity in Hong Kong in 2006 and 2016. In this process, the identification of land surface temperature (LST) hotspots and their association with normalised differential vegetation index (NDVI), normalised differential built-up index (NDBI) and social vulnerability index (SoVI) clusters were examined using local Moran’s I spatial autocorrelation. Results show that an increase in the number of LST hotspots from 2006 to 2016 represented the worsening thermal inequity situation in Hong Kong. The low NDVI and high NDBI clusters were respectively discovered in the LST hotspots located in Kowloon and Kwai Tsing. Furthermore, the areas with high LST and high SoVI, represented as the heat vulnerable zones, expanded in the New Territory from 2006 to 2016 but downscaled in Kowloon. Some District Constituency Assembly Areas (DCCAs) in Nam Cheong were found with attributes of high LST, high NDBI, low NDVI and high SoVI in 2006 and 2016. This study concludes that thermal inequity varies spatiotemporally. Recommendations indicate that the socially vulnerable groups in Nam Cheong should be given the highest priority to implement urban heat mitigation and adaptation strategies. The findings will help policymakers to develop and implement proper policies to alleviate thermal inequity in Hong Kong.