While urban areas will generally experience the same exposures to climate change as surrounding regions, the urban setting can alter this as well as any potential local impacts. The replacement of natural vegetation with artificial surfaces and buildings creates unique microclimates altering temperature, moisture, wind direction and rainfall patterns. Differences in urban design and management make cities vulnerable in different ways, even those situated in the same geographic region. Excessive amounts of rain water cannot drain into the ground where a high share of the city's area is imperviously sealed and thus generate or worsen floods. A high amount of artificial surfaces stores heat and cause raised temperatures in cities compared to the surrounding region
While urban areas will generally experience the same exposures to climate change as surrounding regions, the urban setting can alter this as well as any potential local impacts. The replacement of natural vegetation with artificial surfaces and buildings creates unique microclimates altering temperature, moisture, wind direction and rainfall patterns. Differences in urban design and management make cities vulnerable in different ways, even those situated in the same geographic region. Excessive amounts of rain water cannot drain into the ground where a high share of the city's area is imperviously sealed and thus generate or worsen floods. A high amount of artificial surfaces stores heat and cause raised temperatures in cities compared to the surrounding region
['Urban populations']