City-level resilience to extreme weather shocks revealed by satellite nighttime lights in China

Given the unprecedented climate change, extreme weathers have become more intense and frequent, causing severe socio-economic impacts. Urban resilience is vital for mitigating extreme events, but little is known about its city-level response to such shocks in China. Here, we aim to investigate the persistent effects of extreme heat and heavy rainfall on Chinese cities, ultimately revealing urban resilience. We use monthly nighttime lights from 2013–2019 as a proxy for urban functioning. Our results suggest that cities are less resilient to extreme heat than to heavy rainfall, yet the adverse effects of heavy rainfall can persist for up to seven months. Importantly, we reveal for the first time that areas near the Hu Line are vulnerable to heavy rainfall (e.g., Beijing, Tianjin and Chongqing), and cities in the Yangtze River basin are most affected by extreme heat (up to 24.8 % loss of nighttime light intensity). There is an urgent need to address severe weather impacts in regions dominated by secondary sector, while developed economies are vulnerable to climate hazards, despite having high defense. Our findings identify urban climate risk hotspots and underlying impact mechanisms, providing valuable insights into climate mitigation policies and urban development strategies.