HackerNoon: Building an Urban Heat Island Detector with Python, Satellite Data, and Machine Learning. “Every summer, cities get hotter than the countryside around them. This isn’t just a feeling; it’s a measurable phenomenon called the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, where concrete, asphalt, and dense buildings trap heat that green spaces and water bodies would otherwise dissipate… As a data […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/09/23/hackernoon-building-an-urban-heat-island-detector-with-python-satellite-data-and-machine-learning/#heatislands — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #heatislands, aggregated by home.social.
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Trump’s AI Gambit: Public Land for Private Profit
by Winston Wendell Donald Trump has pursued one scandalous policy after another in his second term. One of the latest initiatives that perfectly represents the president’s disregard for the public interest in favor of big business. In essence, the policy allows big tech companies to score a decade-long billion-dollar tax break by building AI data centers on public lands. One commentator has summarized the issue by noting that tax breaks are nothing more than a “windfall” given to […]https://bluepress.blog/2026/09/21/trumps-ai-gambit-public-land-for-private-profit/
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The #Science of #SolarPunk -- why we need #GreenerCities!
Equitable urban green space planning for sustainable cities: a GIS-based analysis of spatial disparities and functional strategies
Published: 02 July 2025
Sayyed Kifayatullah, Zafeer Saqib, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Muhammad Zaman-ul-Haq, Dmitry E. Kucher, Sajid Ullah & Aqil Tariq"Abstract:
#UrbanGreenSpaces (#UGS) are critical for fostering ecological sustainability and social equity in rapidly urbanizing cities like #Islamabad, #Pakistan. This study aimed to comprehensively map and classify Islamabad’s UGS, identify spatial disparities, and evaluate their ecological, recreational, and social functions. The research also proposed sustainable strategies for managing UGS to address urban challenges, including climate adaptation, biodiversity loss, and social inequity. The study developed a detailed spatial map of Islamabad’s UGS using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and high-resolution satellite imagery. Seven typologies were categorized and analyzed, including parks, playgrounds, institutional green spaces, and waterways. Field surveys and random sampling validated the thematic maps, achieving an accuracy rate of 95.68% based on statistical metrics like Kappa coefficients. The study revealed significant disparities in UGS distribution.
"Wealthier zones had larger, well-maintained green spaces, while denser areas lacked accessible and functional UGS. Recreational spaces, institutional greenery, and waterways played a vital role in enhancing biodiversity, urban aesthetics, and community well-being, though many remain underutilized or degraded. Institutional green spaces contributed significantly to urban sustainability, comprising 17.05 km² of the total UGS area. The research highlights UGS as an essential #NatureBasedSolution (#NBS) for addressing urban challenges like #HeatIslands, #stormwater management, and #SocialInequalities. The findings serve as a model for other rapidly urbanizing cities seeking #ecological and social balance.
[...]
"Conclusion
[T]his study underscores the pivotal role of UGS in fostering ecological #sustainability, social equity, and urban resilience, particularly in rapidly urbanizing cities like Islamabad. By leveraging GIS and high-resolution satellite imagery, the research provides a detailed analysis of the spatial distribution, typologies, and functional value of #GreenSpaces across the city. The findings reveal striking disparities, where wealthier neighborhoods enjoy better-maintained parks and green belts, while densely populated and economically underprivileged areas often lack accessible and functional green spaces. This imbalance highlights the urgent need for equitable planning and management of urban greenery.
"The research affirms that UGS are more than aesthetic elements; they serve as vital ecological assets by regulating #UrbanMicroclimates, enhancing #biodiversity, managing stormwater, and mitigating the urban heat island effect. Socially, they contribute to community well-being by offering recreation, relaxation, and physical activity spaces. However, the study also identifies significant challenges, such as the uneven distribution, poor maintenance, and underutilization of certain green spaces, which limit their potential to deliver these benefits.
"To address these challenges, the study emphasizes the importance of integrating UGS into #UrbanPlanning policies to ensure #EquitableAccess for all city residents, regardless of socioeconomic status. It also highlights the value of #CommunityInvolvement in the upkeep and management of green spaces, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among local stakeholders. Sustainable funding mechanisms, such as public-private partnerships, are proposed to ensure UGS’s regular maintenance and future expansion. Moreover, the research advocates for continued use of data-driven decision-making, leveraging GIS tools to monitor and optimize green infrastructure for long-term sustainability. While this study focuses on Zone I, expanding future research to other zones would offer a more comprehensive perspective on UGS distribution and accessibility across the entire city.
"This research presents UGS as Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to tackle pressing urban challenges like #ClimateChange, flooding, and social inequalities, offering actionable strategies for policymakers and urban planners. While centered on Islamabad, these findings provide a valuable framework that other rapidly urbanizing cities can adapt to strike a balance between development and ecological integrity. The study reminds that sustainable cities must prioritize green spaces to ensure a livable, #equitable, and #resilient urban future."
Full article:
http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-07578-2#SolarPunkSunday #MoreTrees #GreenerCities #MoreGreenSpace #Microclimates #GreenInfrastructure #OpenAccess #OpenAccessJournals #LivableCities
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NJ Spotlight News: NJ has crucial choices on data centers, environmentalist says. “Data centers contribute to heat islands, or higher temperatures locally relative to their regions. Cities, and even some blocks within them, can experience hotter weather in part because of scarce trees and other vegetation.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/07/01/nj-spotlight-news-nj-has-crucial-choices-on-data-centers-environmentalist-says/ -
#HarvestingRainwater with Brad Lancaster: How to Create Livable Desert Cities
by Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't
Jun 9, 2026Part 1 of a 3 Video Series
"In this episode we see the incredible work that Brad Lancaster and his community are doing to make the #DunbarSpring Neighborhood in #TucsonAZ a cooler, more pleasant and human-friendly place to live by using plants as infrastructure and creating a #FoodForest using #NativePlants that are adapted to deal with the desert heat perfectly because they evolved there.
"This video shows us how what Brad and his community have done serve as a model as to what could be down to make cities all over the globe more livable, illustrating how human development and nature do not have to be mutually exclusive. Filming this video and seeing that Brad and his people have done made me feel in something I haven't felt in a long time : hope."
Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN6t8xwpYZ8#SolarPunkSunday #ClimateChangeAdaptation #Rainwater #GreenerCities #Basins #NativeVegetation #WaterStructures #LocalEcology #HeatIslands
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Scientists have found an alarming #EnvironmentalImpact of vast #DataCenters
Story by Laura Paddison, March 30, 2026
Excerpt: "They found surface temperatures increased by an average of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit after a data center started operations. In extreme cases, nearby temperatures increase by up to 16.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
"These increases were consistent across the globe, the researchers found. In #Mexico’s #Bajio region, for example, which has become a data center hub, the study found unexplained temperature rises of around 3.6 degrees over the last 20 years. A similar situation was seen in #AragonSpain, a European center for #hyperscale #AIDataenters, which recorded a temperature increase of 3.6 degrees which was not replicated in neighboring provinces.
"Strikingly, the impacts weren’t limited to a data center’s immediate surroundings; temperature increases affected areas up to 6.2 miles away, the research found, affecting more than 340 million people.
"The findings are particularly alarming, the scientists say, because AI data centers are set to boom over the next few years, and these temperature rises come as planet-warming pollution is already making #HeatWaves more extreme around the world."
#HeatIslands #DataCenterMoratorium #GlobalWarming #NoisePollution #AISucks #SurveillanceState #NoDatacenters #HyperscaleDatacenters
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Data centers are creating ‘heat islands’ and warming the land around them by up to 16 degrees | CNN
The vast data centers that power artificial intelligence guzzle huge amounts of energy but they also have another alarming impact, according to new research. They are creating “heat islands,” warming the land around them by up to 16 degrees Fahrenheit, and making life hotter for more than 340 million people.
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Notre Dame News: Collecting more than trash: Researchers equip local garbage trucks to gather data on urban heat island effect. “…urban heat islands, which disproportionately affect lower-income neighborhoods, increase air pollution and energy costs, as well as heat-related illnesses and deaths. To help identify — and ultimately mitigate — heat islands in South Bend, a team of University […]
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What Hydro-Québec does to trees for its supposed right of way is disgusting. How about, wait for it, BURYING THE POWER LINES?!?
Hydro-Québec using AI to reduce power outages caused by trees: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/hydro-quebec-ai-lidar-trees-1.7579935 #climatechange #heatislands #polMTL #MTLpoli #assnat #polQC #QCpoli #hydroquebec
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🌆 #Podcast #39: How can cities better prepare for #ClimateChange? Our #KLIPS project uses #AI & #SensorNetworks to detect & combat urban #HeatIslands, offering real-time data, forecasts, & simulations. Marc Lehmann explains why #DataGovernance is vital—and what happens if data goes wrong. Dive into #UrbanClimate strategies, law & tech! (available in German)
Project: https://t1p.de/ravj0
Research Group: https://t1p.de/4vo4t
Spotify: https://t1p.de/nb0kp
YouTube: https://t1p.de/entxc -
Houston-area researchers are finding the region's hottest areas through heat mapping campaign
#ClimateChange #Houston #Local #News #Weather #ExtremeHeat #H3ATMappingCampaign #HeatIslands
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As if artificial turf weren't bad enough in its manufacture and actual usage... at the end of its life cycle, it gets even worse. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/07/18/science/artificial-turf-not-being-recycled/
#artificialturf #plastic #athletics #pollution #recycling #corruption #heatislands #climate -
Conversely, start building over (existing) parking lots.
Ideally with solar panels, otherwise with white reflective canopies.
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New National Heat Index [Maps & Data] Uses USGS [EROS] Data
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https://www.usgs.gov/centers/eros/news/new-national-heat-index-uses-usgs-data <-- link to technical article
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https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/Applications/heatTracker/ <-- link to CDC Heat & Health Tracker, by ZIP code
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[new national heat index product for the US, relying on USGS EROS impervious cover layer from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)]
#GIS #spatial #mapping #NLCD #HeatAndHealthIndex #model #USA #index #publichealth #heat #heat #heatstress #heatexhaustion #heatstroke #climatechange #extremeweather #spatialanalysis #urban #urbanareas #heatislands #corrleation #heatindex #heatcycles #cities #concrete #buildings #vegetation #environment #impervious #impervioussurface #demographics #vulnerable #remotesensing #landsat #ZIPCode #builtenvironments #manmade #development
@USGS @EROS @CDC -
Back from great days at #UNIL in #Lausanne. Provided #GIS intro to participants of #CIVIS #BIP on 'Healthy Urban Systems' and supervised students in their transdisciplinary project work on #Urban #HeatIslands.
What are your experiences with #QGIS for bloody beginners without any relation to GIS, #SpatialAnalysis or #Geography? -
grant program, available immediately, will be overseen by EPA's Office of #EnvironmentalJustice and External #CivilRights…The grants are aimed at nonprofits and other locally-based groups that will partner with cities, states, tribes or colleges and unis to boost #climateresiliency and adaptation; mitigate urban #heatislands and #wildfires; monitor air and water #pollution; reduce indoor air toxics; and boost zero-emissions transportation such as bikes and #EV.
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Heat-related deaths across the world could increase almost fivefold by the middle of the century.
"Where are the trees? Where is the green cover? Everything is becoming cemented."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-15/nsw-heat-deaths-who-report-western-sydney/103105210
#FossilFuels #SilentKiller #Sydney #roads #DePaving #shade #cement #HeatExposure #HeatIslands #ClimateActionNow #ExtremeHeatwaves -
#healthequity #heatislands #urbanliving
Islands of Illness People of color and people in poverty disproportionately live in urban “heat islands” that take a severe toll on health BY MELBA NEWSOME
//efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://media.nature.com/.../d4158.../d41586-023-02618-1.pdf -
Hotsat-1 - UK Spacecraft Maps Heat Variations Across Earth
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67010377 <--shared media article
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#GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #infrastructure #buildings #satellite #HotSat1 #heat #temperature #earthobservation #thermalsensor #hot #cold #wildfire #infrared #heatmaps #planning #urbanplanning #insulation #efficiency #heatislands #heatstress #climatechange #HVAC #climate #extremeweather #finance #industry #vegetation #urbantrees #greenbuildings #LEED -
Underground climate change poses a silent threat to buildings and infrastructure in major cities. The heat generated by human activities and structures can cause the ground to deform and sink, which can have serious implications for public health and transportation. It is essential to monitor and reduce the amount of heat generated underground by improving our design and construction practices accordingly. #UndergroundClimateChange #HeatIslands #Infrastructure
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The future of one of tree-sparse South King County’s largest forested parks could be decided by [checks notes] the FAA Reauthorization being considered in the Senate rn ahead of a government shutdown. https://crosscut.com/investigations/2023/09/effort-save-seatacs-biggest-forest-amid-airport-expansion #NorthSeaTacPark #SeaTac #SeaTacAirport #FAA #GovernmentShutdown #HeatIslands #NoisePollution #AirPollution #PortOfSeattle #UrbanForests #Seattle #KingCounty
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Ringrazio @daniloeliatweet di @TgrRaiTrentino per questa intervista con Lorenzo
https://www.rainews.it/tgr/trento/video/2023/08/caldo-citta-rifugi-climatici-imprinta-termica-isole-calore-trento-trentino-a10f2dff-051e-41d4-97e6-cb0226941c16.html
La mappa sullo smartphone è quella di @meteoblue
La mia, con i dati del 14/08/23 è qui
https://napo.github.io/landsurfacetemperature_taa
#climatechange #climateshelters #trentino #heatislands -
Turns Out, #Paving Over Everything Only Makes #HeatWaves Worse
Urban #heatislands make #greenspace a necessity as #cities adapt to rising temperatures. https://jalopnik.com/turns-out-paving-over-everything-only-makes-heat-waves-1850695515 -
The floor is lava
How #concrete, #asphalt and #urban #heatislands add to the misery of #heatwaves https://www.reuters.com/graphics/CLIMATE-CHANGE/URBAN-HEAT/zgpormdkevd/
In hot places, the ground can heat to higher #temperatures than the air, which causes severe burns to someone who stumbles or accidentally touches a surface. For Reuters, Mariano Zafra describes the absorption and release of energy with a series of graphics.
#ClimateChange #globalwarming -
#NewYorkCity has America’s greatest #HeatIslands. By great, we mean the worst. - Gothamist
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We need to build resilient communities with more bike, public & active transport as well, fighting #heatislands, etc
But having a local food chain supply might one of the highest priority right now as our global food chain supply isn’t resilient & might collapse under #ClimateChange pressure
From: @luckytran
https://med-mastodon.com/@luckytran/110788318453916959 -
The Silent Impact Of Underground Climate Change On Civil Infrastructure
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https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-023-00092-1 <-- shared paper
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#GIS #spatial #mapping #model #modeling #climatechange #Chicago #USA #heat #subsurface #infrastructure #underground #heatislands #environment #publichealth #transportation #issues #impacts #deformation #ChicagoLoop #computermodel #3dmodel #temperaturesensor #temperaturesensors #groundtemperature #displacement #risk #hazard #analysis #hazardanalysis #civilinfrastructure #urbanplanning #construction #constructionengineering #opportunity #geothermal #heatpump #urban #urbandevelopment -
In sweltering suburbs, people are battling to find more shade
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-15/melbourne-heat-island-tree-canopy-cover-banyule/101808170 #heatislands #treecover #canopy
