Cities are getting hotter! IPB Professor explains the cause
BOGOR - The phenomenon of increasingly hot cities is now a serious concern amid the increasing triple planetary crisis which includes climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution.
One of the main factors that are considered to worsen the condition is the change in land cover from vegetated areas, especially tree vegetation, to non-tree areas, developed land, and open land.
Professor of the Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Prof. Dr. Ir. Siti Badriyah Rushayati, explained that uncontrolled land use changes had reduced the ecological function of the environment while increasing air temperatures in urban areas.
"Changes in land cover from tree vegetation to built-up or open land have a direct impact on increasing air temperature and triggering the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon. In fact, the UHI area is now expanding and merging with the surrounding urban areas," said Siti in an online lecture by IPB University professor, Wednesday, June 24.
He added, this condition not only increases the temperature, but also has the potential to reduce the quality of the environment and the comfort of urban residents' lives. One example highlighted is the development in the Capital of Nusantara (IKN), where changes in land cover in the period 2018 to 2024 were recorded to increase the intensity of the urban heat island (UHII) from 0.05 to 0.08.
According to him, the change is an unavoidable consequence in the early stages of development that requires basic infrastructure. However, the increase in UHII still needs to be controlled so as not to cause environmental problems in the future.
"Development does require land changes, but the increase in urban heat islands should not be allowed to continue to increase. If it is not controlled, this can actually hinder the realization of IKN as a sustainable city with the concept of Forest City, Sponge City, and Smart City," he said.
Siti emphasized that the management of forest environmental services is the key to maintaining climate resilience while supporting sustainable development. Forests have the ability to absorb carbon through the photosynthesis process and store it in the form of biomass.
He mentioned a number of examples of carbon storage in various areas, including the Ciracas City Forest of 63.63 tons per hectare, the Sunter Reservoir City Forest of 119.3 tons per hectare, the Munjul City Forest of 131.98 tons per hectare, Tahura Juanda of 48.62-232.84 tons per hectare, and revegetation of the corridor of the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park (TNGHS) of 409.29 tons per hectare.
In addition to having an impact on temperature increases and urban heat islands, changes in land cover also cause habitat fragmentation which has an impact on the decline in biodiversity at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels.
"The loss of natural vegetation disrupts the habitat of animals and plants, reduces landscape connectivity, and weakens the ecological functions of ecosystems," said Siti.
In this condition, he assessed that forest environmental services have an important role in increasing the resilience of ecosystems to environmental disturbances and climate change. A well-maintained forest ecosystem is considered more adaptive in facing environmental pressures.
On the other hand, the increasing environmental pollution also has a direct impact on human health. Forest vegetation, he said, is able to absorb and trap various air pollutants, improve air quality, and create a more comfortable microclimate.
"Forests not only produce cleaner air, but also provide a natural environment that can produce phytoncides that are beneficial to human physical and mental health," he said.
He also touched on the concept of healing forests that allow human interaction with the forest environment to support psychological health. This interaction is believed to help reduce stress, improve immune system function, and improve physical and mental conditions.
With these various roles, Siti emphasized that forest environmental services are not only an instrument for environmental preservation, but also a strategic pillar in strengthening climate resilience, maintaining ecosystem sustainability, and improving people's quality of life.
He emphasized that forest environmental services need to be placed as an integral part of development policies in order to achieve a balance between economic growth, environmental sustainability, and community welfare.