Coupling Relationship Between Land Use Changes and Surface Thermal Environment in China's Three Major Urban Agglomerations

This study focuses on China's three major urban agglomerations—Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta. Based on a review of literature data, it examines the spatial and temporal patterns of urban and agricultural land use changes from 2005 to 2024, as well as their impacts on the surface heat environment. The results show that urban land has continued to expand significantly across all three regions, while agricultural land has declined sharply. As a result, the urban heat island effect has become increasingly severe. Urban land contributes much more to surface temperature rise compared to agricultural land. There are clear differences among the three city clusters in terms of land use structure and the evolution of their heat environments. The main driving forces behind these differences include rapid urbanization, industrial restructuring, population growth, and the lack of effective land use planning. This study provides theoretical support for better understanding the coupling relationship between urban land use and the ecological environment system. It also offers useful insights into urban land management and strategies to mitigate heat-related environmental impacts.