ABSTRACT
Urban dispersion has a considerable impact on ecosystems and ecological resources, which provide social and environmental benefits simply by existing and functioning. The environmental impact of urban sprawl and the consequent increase in the soil imperviousness rate spans all the geographical scales. This chapter initially shows some basic concepts for the study of urban climate. Subsequently, it describes the potential effects of the urban growth on the rise in temperature and precipitation extremes along the urban-rural gradient. With urban dispersion, peri-urban areas became progressively more vulnerable, especially to the impacts of climate change, such as floods, drought or heat waves, depending on local characteristics such as urban topography, economic structure and socio-spatial organization. Finally, the chapter discusses the need to use methods for analyzing weather and climate specific to the urban climate and to prepare adaptation strategies to the urban climate change.
