The Distribution and Accessibility of Cooling Resources in Low-income Communities: Comparative Analysis of Beijing and Los Angeles

Research Article
Open access

The Distribution and Accessibility of Cooling Resources in Low-income Communities: Comparative Analysis of Beijing and Los Angeles

Xiangchen Li 1*
  • 1 The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China    
  • *corresponding author Rickey_li@outlook.com
AEMPS Vol.186
ISSN (Print): 2754-1177
ISSN (Online): 2754-1169
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-153-2
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-154-9

Abstract

Increased global temperatures and urban density pose increasing challenges to cities regarding the urban heat island (UHI) effect in low-income communities that lack equitable cooling infrastructure. The spatial pattern and accessibility of Beijing and Los Angeles cooling resources from 2015 to 2024 are compared here. The research uses geospatial and statistical analyses regarding how disparities in cooling infrastructure relate to income levels and urban heat exposure, focusing on vulnerable neighbourhoods that the Department of Energy designated as low-income. Descriptive statistics and comparative urban policy review are used to evaluate the equity of the cooling resource allocation in both cities. However, findings show that low-income areas especially retain limited cooling infrastructure, higher land surface temperature and more significant UHI differentials. These disparities reflect systemic environmental injustices that reflect governance models, historical urban development and socioeconomic inequality. The study suggests that climate adaptation strategies must incorporate equitable planning with green infrastructure investment targeted toward specific communities and improvements in public cooling facilities. These insights offer important guidance for city policymakers searching for solutions to heat vulnerability and inclusive, climate-resilient cities amid ongoing climate change.

Keywords:

Urban heat island (UHI), cooling resources accessibility, environmental justice

Li,X. (2025). The Distribution and Accessibility of Cooling Resources in Low-income Communities: Comparative Analysis of Beijing and Los Angeles. Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences,186,104-110.
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References

[1]. Santamouris, M. (2014) Cooling the cities – A review of Reflective and Green Roof Mitigation Technologies to Fight Heat Island and Improve Comfort in Urban Environments. Solar Energy, 103, 682–703.

[2]. Harlan, S.L., Declet-Barreto, J. H., Stefanov, W. L. and Petitti, D.B. (2013) Neighborhood Effects on Heat Deaths: Social and Environmental Predictors of Vulnerability in Maricopa County, Arizona. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2, 197–204.

[3]. He, Bao-Jie, et al. (2019) Co-Benefits Approach: Opportunities for Implementing Sponge City and Urban Heat Island Mitigation. Land Use Policy, 86, 147–57.

[4]. Nghana, B. and Tariku, F. (2016) Phase Change Material’s (PCM) Impacts on the Energy Performance and Thermal Comfort of Buildings in a Mild Climate. Building and Environment, 99, 221–238.

[5]. Jesdale, B.M., Morello-Frosch, R. and Cushing, L. (2013) The Racial/Ethnic Distribution of Heat Risk–Related Land Cover in Relation to Residential Segregation. Environmental Health Perspectives, 7, 811–817.

[6]. Pineo, H., Glonti, K., Rutter, H., Zimmermann, N., Wilkinson, P. and Davies, M. (2018) Urban Health Indicator Tools of the Physical Environment: a Systematic Review. Journal of Urban Health, 5, 613–646.

[7]. Zhou, W., Huang, G., Pickett, S.T., Wang, J., Cadenasso, M.L., McPhearson, T. and Wang, J. (2021) Urban Tree Canopy Has Greater Cooling Effects in Socially Vulnerable Communities in the US. One Earth, 4, 1764-1775.

[8]. Schwarz, K., Fragkias, M., Boone, C. G., Zhou, W., McHale, M., Grove, J. M. and Cadenasso, M. L. (2015) Trees Grow on Money: Urban Tree Canopy Cover and Environmental Justice. PloS One, 4, e0122051.

[9]. Fraser, A.M., Chester, M.V., Eisenman, D., Hondula, D.M., Pincetl, S.S., English, P. and Bondank, E. (2017) Household Accessibility to Heat Refuges: Residential Air Conditioning, Public Cooled Space, and Walkability. Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 44, 1036-1055.

[10]. Chu, H., Adams, J., Li, J. and Goldmuntz, S. (2021) Equity-focused Heat Adaptation Strategies for Los Angeles County.

[11]. Wang, X. and Ottinger, R. (2023) A Tale of Two Cities: A Comparison of Air Pollution Governance in the Los Angeles Area of the USA and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Area of China. Kluwer Law International BV, 1-10.

[12]. Romero-Lankao, P. (2016) Governing Carbon and Climate in the Cities: An Overview of Policy and Planning Challenges and Options. Climate Change and Sustainable Cities, 7-26.

[13]. Zheng, S., Long, F., Fan, C.C. and Gu, Y. (2009) Urban Villages in China: A 2008 Survey of Migrant Settlements in Beijing. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 50, 425-446.

[14]. Palinkas, L.A., De Leon, J., Yu, K., Salinas, E., Fernandez, C., Johnston, J. and Garcia, E. (2023) Adaptation Resources and Responses to Wildfire Smoke and Other Forms of Air Pollution in Low-income Urban Settings: a Mixed-methods Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20, 5393.

[15]. Sun, Y., Wang, X., Zhu, J., Chen, L., Jia, Y., Lawrence, J.M. and Wu, J. (2021) Using Machine Learning to Examine Street Green Space Types at a High Spatial Resolution: Application in Los Angeles County on Socioeconomic Disparities in Exposure. Science of The Total Environment, 787, 147653.

[16]. Wood, E.K. (2023) The Resource Tradeoffs of Green Space and Water Conservation in Los Angeles: A Spatial Analysis of Vegetated Cooling and Water Use. Master's thesis, Tufts University.

Cite this article

Li,X. (2025). The Distribution and Accessibility of Cooling Resources in Low-income Communities: Comparative Analysis of Beijing and Los Angeles. Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences,186,104-110.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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Volume title: Proceedings of ICMRED 2025 Symposium: Effective Communication as a Powerful Management Tool

ISBN：978-1-80590-153-2(Print) / 978-1-80590-154-9(Online)
Editor：Lukáš Vartiak
Conference website: https://2025.icmred.org/Bratislava.html
Conference date: 30 May 2025
Series: Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences
Volume number: Vol.186
ISSN：2754-1169(Print) / 2754-1177(Online)

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References

[1]. Santamouris, M. (2014) Cooling the cities – A review of Reflective and Green Roof Mitigation Technologies to Fight Heat Island and Improve Comfort in Urban Environments. Solar Energy, 103, 682–703.

[2]. Harlan, S.L., Declet-Barreto, J. H., Stefanov, W. L. and Petitti, D.B. (2013) Neighborhood Effects on Heat Deaths: Social and Environmental Predictors of Vulnerability in Maricopa County, Arizona. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2, 197–204.

[3]. He, Bao-Jie, et al. (2019) Co-Benefits Approach: Opportunities for Implementing Sponge City and Urban Heat Island Mitigation. Land Use Policy, 86, 147–57.

[4]. Nghana, B. and Tariku, F. (2016) Phase Change Material’s (PCM) Impacts on the Energy Performance and Thermal Comfort of Buildings in a Mild Climate. Building and Environment, 99, 221–238.

[5]. Jesdale, B.M., Morello-Frosch, R. and Cushing, L. (2013) The Racial/Ethnic Distribution of Heat Risk–Related Land Cover in Relation to Residential Segregation. Environmental Health Perspectives, 7, 811–817.

[6]. Pineo, H., Glonti, K., Rutter, H., Zimmermann, N., Wilkinson, P. and Davies, M. (2018) Urban Health Indicator Tools of the Physical Environment: a Systematic Review. Journal of Urban Health, 5, 613–646.

[7]. Zhou, W., Huang, G., Pickett, S.T., Wang, J., Cadenasso, M.L., McPhearson, T. and Wang, J. (2021) Urban Tree Canopy Has Greater Cooling Effects in Socially Vulnerable Communities in the US. One Earth, 4, 1764-1775.

[8]. Schwarz, K., Fragkias, M., Boone, C. G., Zhou, W., McHale, M., Grove, J. M. and Cadenasso, M. L. (2015) Trees Grow on Money: Urban Tree Canopy Cover and Environmental Justice. PloS One, 4, e0122051.

[9]. Fraser, A.M., Chester, M.V., Eisenman, D., Hondula, D.M., Pincetl, S.S., English, P. and Bondank, E. (2017) Household Accessibility to Heat Refuges: Residential Air Conditioning, Public Cooled Space, and Walkability. Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 44, 1036-1055.

[10]. Chu, H., Adams, J., Li, J. and Goldmuntz, S. (2021) Equity-focused Heat Adaptation Strategies for Los Angeles County.

[11]. Wang, X. and Ottinger, R. (2023) A Tale of Two Cities: A Comparison of Air Pollution Governance in the Los Angeles Area of the USA and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Area of China. Kluwer Law International BV, 1-10.

[12]. Romero-Lankao, P. (2016) Governing Carbon and Climate in the Cities: An Overview of Policy and Planning Challenges and Options. Climate Change and Sustainable Cities, 7-26.

[13]. Zheng, S., Long, F., Fan, C.C. and Gu, Y. (2009) Urban Villages in China: A 2008 Survey of Migrant Settlements in Beijing. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 50, 425-446.

[14]. Palinkas, L.A., De Leon, J., Yu, K., Salinas, E., Fernandez, C., Johnston, J. and Garcia, E. (2023) Adaptation Resources and Responses to Wildfire Smoke and Other Forms of Air Pollution in Low-income Urban Settings: a Mixed-methods Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20, 5393.

[15]. Sun, Y., Wang, X., Zhu, J., Chen, L., Jia, Y., Lawrence, J.M. and Wu, J. (2021) Using Machine Learning to Examine Street Green Space Types at a High Spatial Resolution: Application in Los Angeles County on Socioeconomic Disparities in Exposure. Science of The Total Environment, 787, 147653.

[16]. Wood, E.K. (2023) The Resource Tradeoffs of Green Space and Water Conservation in Los Angeles: A Spatial Analysis of Vegetated Cooling and Water Use. Master's thesis, Tufts University.

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