METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN URBAN CONTEXTS: A REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/revgeov17n3-179Keywords:
Global Warming, Climate Emergency, Urban Infrastructure, Urban Centers, BibliometricsAbstract
The objective of this study was to map the methodologies that integrate remote sensing and climatic data applied to climate change in urban areas, characterizing the evolution of this field and providing theoretical and methodological foundations for future studies. The analysis builds on the assessment presented by the IPCC, which highlights the accelerated warming of the Earth’s surface and underscores the role of unsustainable patterns of energy and land use, as well as urbanization, in intensifying risks such as flooding and urban heat islands. Methodologically, a mixed approach is adopted, combining a bibliometric review and a systematic review. The database was compiled from Scopus using a search query involving climate change, urban environments, and remote sensing, restricted to peer-reviewed journal articles published up to 2024. The results indicate a strong expansion of the field between 1995 and 2023, with more pronounced growth from 2010 onward and further intensification after 2018. China and the United States lead in publication volume and citation impact, alongside the emerging contribution of countries such as Brazil and Spain. The thematic analysis of the 125 most relevant articles shows a predominance of studies on urban heat islands, followed by health and climate, vegetation and land surface temperature (LST), flood risk, and land use and land cover. At the methodological level, the integrated use of GIS, remote sensing, spatial analysis, and techniques based on satellite imagery and time series stands out. Overall, the findings highlight the consolidation and increasing methodological sophistication of the field, pointing to relevant trends and gaps for future research.
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