ASSESSMENT OF URBANIZATION EFFECTS ON THERMAL PATTERNS IN FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN

Rapid urbanization on the global stage is a source of worry over its environmental impacts as far as local climate patterns are concerned. This research analyses the effects of urbanization indices on local temperature anomalies in Faisalabad, Pakistan, from 1972 to 2022. Trends of mean, maximum, and lowest temperature, urban population, built-up area, the number of factories, and the number of automobiles were analyzed in the data of five decades. The plot shows that the warming trend recorded from Faisalabad’s temperature data is evident from an increase in both mean maximum and minimum temperature and the increase in mean temperature by 2°C. The city underwent rapid urbanization during this period, which resulted in an increased urban population six times, while the extent of buildup areas was extended four times, and industrial and vehicular activities also increased considerably. This provides a statistically excellent correlation between years and temperature measures, yielding coefficients as shown (R2 = 0.9615, 0.9931, and 0.9839), which indicate that the period under study has a solid relationship with these temperature patterns. The research underscores the significant climatic impacts of urbanization and calls for environmentally responsible urban planning, suggesting global solutions to tackle urban climate change and sustainable development.