LAHORE:
Rapid urbanization, shrinking green spaces and expanding concrete infrastructure have caused temperatures to rise in Lahore over the past 25 years, according to a WWF-Pakistan analysis based on satellite data, raising concerns about public health, energy demand and climate resilience.
The study, which looked at nighttime land surface temperature data from a NASA satellite between 2001 and 2025, found that built-up areas of the city warmed significantly faster than vegetated areas.
According to the results, vegetated areas, including parks, agricultural lands and green corridors, recorded a temperature increase of 2.16 degrees Celsius during the study period. In contrast, unvegetated and built-up areas saw an increase of 3.07 degrees, almost 42% faster than green spaces during the period.
The report notes that the temperature gap between green and built surfaces has widened from 0.25°C in 2001 to 1.16°C last year, highlighting the growing impact of the urban heat island effect across the city.
WWF-Pakistan said the phenomenon is particularly evident at night, when concrete and asphalt surfaces continue to release heat accumulated during the day, preventing temperatures from dropping and reducing relief for residents.
The analysis identified May as the most dangerous month in Lahore due to the extreme heat preceding the monsoon. In the city’s most urbanized areas, temperatures increased by around 0.2°C per year in May, which represents almost 5°C of additional nighttime heat over 25 years.
The study found that Lahore’s climate has undergone a marked change since the early 2000s. While summer temperatures previously peaked around 42-43°C, recent years have seen more frequent and intense heatwaves. The warming trend accelerated, from an average increase of about 0.2°C per year during the first 15 years of the study period to almost 0.3°C per year over the last decade.
The urban heat island effect has also intensified, with densely built-up areas of Lahore now recording temperatures eight to 10 degrees Celsius higher than surrounding rural areas during summer afternoons.
June turns out to be a particularly critical month. According to the report, maximum temperatures which were generally between 44°C and 45°C in the early 2000s have consistently exceeded 48°C in recent years. The city recorded an unprecedented temperature of 50.1°C in June 2022.
Nighttime temperatures also increased sharply, with minimum temperatures rising from 28-29°C to 34-35°C during this period. The number of days in June where temperatures reach or exceed 45°C has increased from three to four per year in the early 2000s to more than 12 in recent years.
The report warns that prolonged periods of extreme heat, combined with warmer nights, pose serious health risks, particularly for outdoor workers, the elderly, children and low-income households without access to cooling systems.
It adds that rising temperatures increase the demand for electricity for cooling, putting additional pressure on electricity infrastructure while contributing to heat production in urban areas.
WWF-Pakistan highlighted that urban greening measures, including tree planting, green roofs, public parks, roadside vegetation and protection of peri-urban agricultural lands, remain among the most cost-effective climate adaptation strategies available.
