🌍 All About JTCA’s Urban Heat Series

Nicolla Nkomo
Nov 9, 2025
2 min read

Mapping, Research, and Voices for a Cooler Future

Cities are not just heating up; they are becoming battlegrounds against the relentless forces of climate change

As global temperatures rise, cities are becoming the frontline of the climate challenge. Nowhere is this more visible than in our urban heat landscapes, places where concrete, asphalt, and scarce greenery combine to amplify heat, strain energy systems, and endanger health.

At JTCA (Journal of Trees for Climate Adaptation), we’re turning data into direction. Our Urban Heat Series brings together researchers, city practitioners, and communities to explore how cities can understand and reduce heat risk through data-driven insight and local action.

🔥 Why Urban Heat Matters

Urban areas can be up to 10-15°C hotter than their surrounding regions (read this article)— and within the same city, temperatures can vary dramatically between shaded and exposed surfaces. These microclimates influence energy demand, air quality, and even social well-being. Insights from the surveys we’ve collected show a clear pattern is emerging, where people living closer to green spaces consistently describe cooler, more comfortable surroundings, while those in concrete-dense zones experience longer, hotter days.

"I have noted that in the eastern side of the city in low density suburbs the temperatures are cool and in high density suburbs they are higher because of fewer trees"

Prince Daniel Tshuma

Zimbabwe

This observation reminds us that trees are more than scenery, they’re infrastructure for survival.

What the Series Covers

The JTCA Urban Heat Series includes two key strands;

#UrbanHeatVoices

The #UrbanHeatVoices is an interactive platform that allows the public to freely engage on Urban Heat issues through sharing stories, participating in surveys or engaging in open dialogue. If you have an Urban Heat story to share, you can participate in our survey here.

📢 Call for Papers

The Call for Papers for this series officially opens on 30 November 2025 and runs until 31 January 2026. Researchers, practitioners, and students are invited to contribute innovative studies, case analyses, and data-driven insights that highlight how trees can help cities adapt to heat stress. Contributors will be featured in upcoming JTCA research dialogues, and publication highlights throughout 2026.

Why Urban Heat Matters

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

for JTCA

The Urban Heat Series shines a light on #UrbanHeatVoices dynamics by using spatial data, research, and public engagement to understand where and how interventions can make the most impact.

"Urban heat is more than a temperature issue, it’s a public health, equity, and sustainability challenge. Hotter cities mean increased energy demand, reduced productivity, and greater risks for vulnerable populations."

Through this series, JTCA aims to spotlight solutions that blend research with action; from mapping tools and policy insights to community-driven green projects that make urban environments more adaptive and resilient.

💡 About JTCA

The Journal of Trees for Climate Adaptation (JTCA) is an open-access journal amplifying work that connects ecosystems, people and policies for climate resilience. Our mission is simple: grow knowledge that helps ecosystems and communities adapt, innovate, and thrive.