INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN URBAN HEAT ISLAND AND SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS IN NEW YORK CITY

The urban heat island (UHI) effect, with its substantial energy, health, and societal implications, is a major environmental concern in urban regions, particularly in historically underserved and socially vulnerable communities. This study examines the linkage between redlining and the UHI effect by investigating socioeconomic, sociodemographic, policy, and land surface temperature characteristics. Using remote sensing observations from multiple satellites, we employ a Heat Vulnerability Index to assess heat vulnerability disparities across New York City, incorporating poverty, race, summer surface temperatures, and green spaces. Our findings reveal that regions historically designated as "hazardous" due to redlining practices experience an average of 2 degrees Celsius higher surface temperatures compared to more favored areas. Additionally, redlined neighborhoods exhibit smaller green areas, indicating disparities in vegetation cover. While some progress has been made over time, the persistence of these disparities highlights the importance of incorporating these factors in heat stress mitigation and adaptation strategies for heterogeneous urban areas in terms of land cover and socioeconomics.