Tackling Urban Heat Islands: Urban-Act Leads Discussion on Sustainable Urban Planning

Key Highlights:
- An overview of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, explaining how cities retain heat more than rural areas, resulting in higher temperatures.
- Global strategies to combat UHI, including urban greening, cooling pavements, and climate-sensitive zoning practices.
- Case study on Bangkok’s UHI highlighted the city’s rapid urbanisation and lack of green spaces, which have worsened the UHI effect, especially in densely built areas.
- Discussion on how urban planners can use zoning and land-use strategies to reduce UHI impacts, especially in vulnerable communities.
One of the environmental issues in mega cities that has become increasingly apparent is Urban Heat Islands (UHI). UHI occurs when urban areas become significantly hotter than surrounding rural areas due to human activity, dense construction, and limited green spaces. This leads to higher temperatures, which affect public health, energy consumption, and decrease overall quality of life.
Heat can cause serious and potentially fatal health problems such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, trigger sudden events like heart attack or stroke, or worsen existing medical conditions like kidney or lung disease. Extreme heat can affect anybody.
“Cities” cannot afford to wait to undertake actions such as these — bold steps are needed to prevent the city from becoming an even more unbearable furnace. Tackling UHI is essential for urban planners and communities alike.
To address this pressing concern, the Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon & Resilient Cities (Urban-Act) project, in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning (DPT), hosted a knowledge-sharing session, titled “Urban Heat Island and Urban Development”, at DPT on 13 September 2024. The session drew over 100 participants, including urban planners, experts, government officials and local stakeholders, all discussing ways to create more sustainable and resilient cities that can adapt to climate change while minimising damage to social well-being, economy, and environment — or at least to cope with it.

This session is part of a bi-monthly series organised by Urban-Act and DPT to share knowledge and solutions for sustainable urban development in Thailand.
Why UHI Matters
Urban Heat Islands are a growing concern in many cities worldwide. Bangkok and several big cities in Thailand are no exception.
As the urban landscape expands and green spaces shrink, UHI can intensify, making cities hotter and less livable.
For urban planners, tackling UHI is essential to ensure that cities remain healthy, comfortable, and energy efficient. For citizens, addressing UHI means improving air quality, reducing heat-related health risks and enhancing the overall environment, ultimately leading to a better quality of life.

Anchalee Tanwanich an advisor on Town and Country Planning at the DPT, emphasised the urgent need to address UHI in Thailand and prioritise climate resilience in urban development. She reaffirmed the DPT’s commitment to supporting climate-responsive strategies to enhance public well-being.

Dr Martyn Clark, Urban Resilience Coordinator for the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) discussed “Urban Heat Monitoring and Mapping through Global Lens.”
Global Solutions for Mitigating UHI
Dr Martyn Clark shared global strategies for addressing UHI. He explained how UHI mapping and monitoring can help cities identify heat hotspots and vulnerable populations. By using technologies like satellite imagery and remote sensing, cities can make data-driven decisions, such as creating green spaces, cooling pavements and improving zoning in high-density areas. In addition, integrating UHI data at different scales—neighbourhood, city, and region —can help develop targeted heat mitigation strategies.
Local Solutions for UHI in Bangkok
Thailand is also facing severe heat waves. During the past summer of 2024, several regions recorded unprecedented temperatures. Bangkok sizzled under a heat index exceeding 52°C, and over 30 districts across 77 provinces set new record highs in April, typically the hottest month of the year. These temperatures mark the highest since 1958, according to data from the Meteorological Department.

Dr Dararat Khamchiangta, a lecturer from the Faculty of Architecture at Khon Kaen University, discussed on Characteristics of Urban Heat Islands and Key Factors driving warming in Bangkok
Dr Dararat Khamchiangta, a lecturer from the Faculty of Architecture at Khon Kaen University, presented her findings on UHI in Bangkok. She showed that rapid urban expansion and a lack of green spaces have exacerbated the UHI effect in the city. Dr Dararat recommended solutions such as green roofs, tree planting and preserving green spaces to mitigate UHI. She also stressed the importance of community-driven initiatives, like local tree-planting projects, which help cool down the city, reduce heat absorption and improve air quality.
Using Spatial Planning to Combat UHI

Raja Asvanon, a researcher from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Asia, discussed Planning for Urban Heat and Unequal Vulnerability in Cities from Spatial Planning and Vulnerability Perspective
Raja Asvanon, a researcher from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Asia, discussed how spatial planning can help reduce UHI impacts, especially in vulnerable communities. He argued that zoning and land-use policies should include strategies like expanding open spaces, promoting green infrastructure, and preserving natural airflow pathways. By adjusting urban design and policies, cities can reduce heat concentrations and improve resilience, particularly in high-risk areas.
Raja also emphasised the importance of collaboration among urban planners, environmental experts, and local governments to create inclusive policies that address UHI comprehensively. These efforts ensure that climate adaptation benefits reach everyone fairly, improving quality of life for all city residents.
At the end of session, Heinrich Gudenus, Director of the Urban-Act Project, underscored the importance of combining local knowledge with global best practices to tackle UHI. He affirmed that the Urban-Act project is committed to working with Thai stakeholders to develop practical solutions for adapting to urban heat.
Urban Act: Joint action for climate-friendly and resilient cities Gallery
Heinrich Gudenus
Project director of Urban-Act
Email:heinrich.gudenus(at)giz.de
About Us
The Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon and Resilient Cities (Urban-Act) is a regional project funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) over the period April 2022 to December 2027. This regional project aims to support the transformation towards low-carbon and resilient urban development in Asia-Pacific while also contributing to countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Urban-Act is implemented in China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Regional project partners include the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC), the TU Dortmund and the University of Stuttgart, as well as national consortium partners in each of the 5 partner countries. The Office of the Permanent Secretary for Interior (OPSI), Ministry of Interior (MoI), is the political partner in Thailand.
Related project news