Rapid Urbanisation Drives 5°C Nighttime Heat Spike in Lahore, WWF Report Reveals
A 25-year NASA satellite analysis by WWF-Pakistan reveals built-up concrete areas are warming 42% faster than green spaces, sharply intensifying the city's urban heat island effect.
Shrinking green spaces and expanding concrete infrastructure have widened the temperature gap between natural and built-up areas across Lahore over the last quarter-century.
NASA / WWF-Pakistan Analysis
LAHORE: Rapid urbanisation, shrinking green spaces and expanding concrete infrastructure have increased temperatures in Lahore over the past 25 years, according to an analysis by WWF-Pakistan based on satellite data, raising concerns about public health, energy demand and climate resilience.
The study, which examined night time land surface temperature data from a NASA satellite between 2001 and 2025, found that built-up areas in the city have warmed considerably faster than vegetated zones. Read more
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