Expansão urbana em regiões metropolitanas brasileiras e seus impactos nas temperaturas do ar e da superfície

Abstract

The global phenomenon of urban expansion, driven by the migration of populations from rural areas to urban zones, has altered landscapes and ecosystems, leading to the replacement of natural vegetation by artificial surfaces such as metal, asphalt, and concrete. Urbanization has influenced local climate changes, including the urban heat island effect, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and alterations in biophysical parameters. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between urban expansion processes that occurred between 1993 and 2023 in Brazilian metropolitan regions and their impacts on surface and air temperatures, considering the direct influence on urban dynamics and public health. For this, air temperature data from meteorological stations, surface temperature data obtained from MODIS remote sensing products, census data, pollution data, and land use and land cover mapping products from MapBiomas were used. The research reveals a marked increase in the urbanized area of metropolitan regions (RM), such as the RM of Goiânia, which expanded its urban infrastructure by 133.24% at the expense of vegetation areas, and a trend of increasing surface temperatures, particularly in Manaus, and air temperatures in the Cuiabá River Valley, as well as less pronounced growth in several regions and seasons. This highlights the need for sustainable strategies to mitigate the associated environmental impacts, recommending policies that promote environmental conservation and the preservation of local ecosystems, integrating urban development with sustainability.