Commentary: As COP31 begins, expert warns cities are ill-prepared for rising heat

“The prospect of another record-breaking year for heat should be a wake-up call, as many cities are still not designed for the hotter climate they now face. Dense development, heat-absorbing materials and a lack of greening and shade can intensify temperatures, while the greatest burden often falls on vulnerable populations, including elderly people, children, lower-income communities and those that have pre-existing health conditions. 

“My concern is that heat resilience is still too often treated as an emergency response rather than a core requirement of urban planning.

“Urban greening can provide an important part of the solution, but it must be evidence-led rather than simply planting trees wherever space is available. Our research shows that parks, wetlands, street trees, green walls and other green-blue infrastructure can cool neighbourhoods through shade and evapotranspiration, while also supporting cleaner air, biodiversity and wellbeing. Their design, location, species and long-term maintenance determine whether those benefits are realised.

“At COP31, governments should prioritise rapid emissions reduction alongside funded, locally tailored heat-action plans. Cities need more shade, cool and permeable surfaces, climate-ready buildings, accessible cooling spaces and better mapping of vulnerable communities. My hope is that urban nature will be treated as essential public-health infrastructure rather than a decorative extra, and embedded into every planning and investment decision.”