Socioeconomic inequalities and the surface heat island distribution in Santiago, Chile

Surface urban heat islands (SUHIs) are an important socio-environmental problem associated with large cities, such as the Santiago Metropolitan Area (SMA), in Chile. Here, we analyze daytime and nighttime variations of SUHIs for each season of the year during the period 2000–2020. To evaluate socioeconomic inequities in the distribution of SUHIs, we establish statistical relationships with socioeconomic status, land price, and urban vegetation. We use the MODIS satellite images to obtain the land surface temperatures and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) through the Google Earth Engine platform. The results indicate more intense SUHIs during the nighttime in the eastern sector, coinciding with higher socioeconomic status and larger green areas. This area during the day is cooler than the rest of the city. The areas with lower and middle socioeconomic status suffer more intense SUHIs (daytime and nighttime) and match poor environmental and urban qualities. These results show the high segregation of SMA. Urban planning is subordinated to land prices with a structure maintained over the study period. The lack of social-climate justice is unsustainable, and such inequalities may be exacerbated in the context of climate change. Thus, these results can contribute to the planning of the SMA. [Display omitted] •Middle and lower socioeconomic classes record different SUHIs during day and nighttime.•Upper and middle-upper classes enjoy cool islands during the day and SUHIs during the night.•We found a negative correlation between NDVI and SUHI for SMA.•In the Santiago Metropolitan Area, the most intense SUHIs occur in autumn and summer.•Increasing urban green areas mitigates the SUHIs in the SMA.