A Review of Urban Heat Studies in Recife—PE (Brazil): Urban Heat Scales, Landscape Inequalities and Future Perspectives

Abstract

The objective of this article is to discuss the main studies related to urban heat in the city of Recife, the capital of the state of Pernambuco in Brazil, and contribute to providing theoretical and methodological perspectives for future research and the understanding of the history of these studies. Recife is the core of the largest metropolitan region in the northeastern region of Brazil, characterized by a complex urban landscape marked by inequalities and socio-spatial challenges. Moreover, it is recognized as one of the most vulnerable cities to climate change in the world. Analyzing urban heat in Recife through a descriptive review has the potential to provide a comprehensive analysis of the interactions between physical, social, and environmental elements with urban heat in this city, as well as to identify shortcomings and trends in ongoing initiatives and future perspectives. The discussions encompass the following themes: (a) urban heat scales, ranging from macro to global, in both temporal and spatial aspects; (b) the regional and local contexts of urban growth in Recife; (c) the challenges in urban heat studies in the city, including difficulties in data acquisition and integration of approaches; and (d) current efforts and future perspectives in addressing urban heat in this city. The main challenges for future heat studies include developing means for applicability in urban planning, enhancing observations of the interaction with the urban landscape, overcoming the lack of data sources, and understanding the interaction between scales to develop approaches that integrate the social and physical dimensions of urban climate and its relationship with climate change. Such reflections can also be extended to other geographic areas that share similar patterns of urban growth and socio-spatial complexities, helping to enhance the representation of the Global South in this field.

Keywords

• urban heat
• climate change
• Recife
• Brazil