Adverse climate change caused by the urbanization without environmental planning and assessment in santiago de chile

Abstract

Despite available models and scientific evidence on climate change on a global scale, the planning and management of urban territories in Latin America has failed to consider it above its economic, social and political constraints. By selecting surface temperature and ventilation as critical climate variables, the case of Santiago de Chile is analyzed as an example of the contradictions between policies and official declarations and the real transformations of urban climates, highlighting the widespread increase in surface temperatures, represented by satellite imagery, due to the absence of rigorous envi-ronmental assessments of changes in land uses and covers that have accompanied the urbanization. A microclimatic simulation has allowed estimating the reduction of speed and changes in the direction of the winds, such as consequence of the densification and verticalization in the Estación Central commune. The generation of ventilation “dead zones” relates to designs, topology and exposure of the buildings, affecting the quality of life of the inhabitants. Mitigation and adaptation to Climate Change should be an explicit part of the objectives, plans and projects that pursue the quality and territorial justice of urban climates and, consequently, the well-being and comfort of society.