Environment and Interdisciplinary Development

Identification of the Mitigation and Adaptive Behaviors of Isfahan Citizens in Facing Urban Heat Islands

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Masoud Motaharnezhad 1
Mozhgan Ahmadi Nadoushan 2

1 Department of Environmental Education, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

2 2- Department of Environmental Sciences, Waste and Wastewater Research Center, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/envj.2024.427294.1322
Abstract
Introduction: Significant changes occur in land cover, infrastructure and population density, due to urban growth and urbanization, leading to modifications in local weather patterns and climate. This phenomenon, known as the urban heat island effect, primarily contributes to urban warming. Individual urban residents have a substantial impact on mitigating and addressing the urban heat island effect. This study aims to investigate the adaptive behaviors of the citizens of Isfahan City in facing to the hot season temperature in two parts: mitigating and adapting behaviors.
Materials and Methods: To collect data from citizens, a random-probability method was used and 100 individuals from the city of Isfahan were selected for this study. Participants were asked to provide information about their perception of climate change, their access to urban infrastructure and their individual coping strategies for high summer temperatures. The level of proximity to urban infrastructure, especially the urban transportation network and green parks, and the rank of adopting two categories of mitigating and adapting behaviors to temperature were collected on a Likert scale. After collecting questionnaire data and ensuring its validity and reliability, descriptive statistics were used to better interpret the results. A linear regression model was used to investigate the relationship between the temporal distance of individuals from urban infrastructure and the rank of adopting behaviors corresponding to it.
Results: The results showed that the largest number of individuals (29 people) were between the ages of 38 and 48. The average travel time to the first bus and subway station for the individuals was 21.65 minutes and to the first city park was 20.35 minutes. Among the obtained ratings, disconnecting electrical appliances that are not in use with an average of 2.83 had the highest average rank among the temperature-reducing factors in the 10 questions in this field. Also, the use of temperature-adaptive clothing such as hats, wearing temperature-adaptive clothes, and staying at home during the very hot hours of the day were also among the factors that were assigned the highest ranks of temperature-adaptive factors. The results of the linear regression showed that proximity to infrastructure significantly affects the ratings given by citizens to adaptive behaviors.   
Discussion: According to the results of this study, optimal human performance and improved adoption of heat coping strategies in the summer require a multifaceted approach that encompasses individual actions, home design, and urban infrastructure. Isfahan is one of the dry and semi-arid cities in the center of Iran, which in recent years has faced many environmental problems, especially the lack of water and the increase in temperature in hot seasons. This has led to numerous efforts to increase temperature adaptation by social and managerial groups, from urban planning to citizens. If proper activities are carried out regarding the adaptation to the increased temperature of the city, it is anticipated that the adaptation to the rising temperatures in the coming years will be achieved with the minimal environmental footprint. However, without paying attention to the citizens' perception and understanding of this phenomenon and the lack of effort to improve it, this is very difficult. 

Keywords

Climatic Changes
Urban Heat Island
Mitigation Behaviors
Adaptive Behaviors
Isfahan

Subjects

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Environment and Interdisciplinary Development
Volume 9, Issue 84
Summer 2024
Pages 20-1

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