Optimizing Urban Greenery for Climate Resilience: A Case Study in Perth, Australia

Abstract

Urban vegetation plays a pivotal role in mitigating the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect and enhancing ecological resilience amid accelerating global urbanization. This study investigates the spatiotemporal dynamics of vegetation coverage and its interplay with climatic factors and surface thermal patterns in Perth, Australia, from 2014 to 2023, leveraging multi-source remote sensing data, geostatistical modeling, and spatial analysis. Utilizing Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), and Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) datasets, combined with meteorological statistics, the research quantifies vegetation trends, evaluates seasonal and annual climate correlations, and stratifies UHI intensity zones. Key findings reveal the following: (1) Perth’s vegetation cover has decreased over the past decade, and LST has increased, with a negative correlation between the two. (2) NDVI demonstrated a strong negative correlation with annual maximum temperature (r = −0.754) and a positive correlation with precipitation (r = 0.779). (3) Seasonal analysis of NDVI-LST relationships showed intensified cooling effects in summer (r = −0.527) compared to winter (r = −0.180), aligning with evapotranspiration dynamics in Mediterranean climates. (4) Spatial stratification of LST identified “low-temperature green islands” in forested regions, contrasting sharply with high-temperature zones in built-up areas. This study suggests that vegetation optimization—particularly preserving urban forests and integrating green infrastructure—can effectively mitigate UHI impacts, thus reducing surface temperatures. In particular, it shows that urban greenery is a more significant factor towards lowering UHI than urban density. This research advances the understanding of how vegetation optimization can mitigate thermal stress in growing urbanization and provides quantitative evidence for climate-adaptive urban planning.