Climatologists warn of the threat of heat strokes in major cities of Ukraine due to improper urban development
This is reported by Kyiv24
During the summer, residents of Ukrainian megacities are particularly at risk of heat strokes. The reason lies in the so-called “urban heat island effect,” where the air temperature in the city center can exceed that of the suburbs by 5 degrees or more. This category includes cities such as Kharkiv, Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk. Areas with massive construction and a lack of green spaces are especially vulnerable.
The Problem of Urban Areas and Its Solutions
Vira Balabukh, a candidate of geographical sciences and head of the Department of Applied Meteorology and Climatology at the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute of the State Emergency Service and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, explains that the absence of greenery and the predominance of paved surfaces contribute to additional heating of the air. In many cities, particularly in Kyiv, there are large surface parking lots near almost every supermarket. On hot days, these areas accumulate heat and release it into the atmosphere, raising the overall temperature in the city.
“In Kyiv, there is a surface parking lot near almost every supermarket. These huge paved areas heat up, and this additional energy goes into the atmosphere. Every rain becomes a disaster because there are issues with drainage, and there is nowhere for the water to go. This needs to be addressed by changing building regulations,” Balabukh believes.
European Experience in Combating Urban Overheating
According to European standards, cities must have parks, squares, and other green spaces. For example, in Germany, green roofs are required for large public buildings, which not only lower the temperature but also collect moisture from precipitation. The collected water is then used for the internal needs of the buildings, including for sewage systems.
The climatologist emphasized that such an approach demonstrates the state’s responsible attitude towards the problem of urban overheating. At the same time, in Ukraine, there are still many open paved areas, including in front of the Verkhovna Rada, where the temperature on a hot day is significantly higher than in nearby parks or green zones.