Urban Vegetation Inequality in U.S. Cities Amid Climate Extremes
A recent study published in Nature highlights the divergent trends in urban vegetation inequality (UVI) across major U.S. cities under climate extreme events. The research analyzed 245 cities using high-resolution datasets to assess urban vegetation disparities. It found that cities in southern California and Texas have experienced an increase in UVI, while those in the Pacific Northwest, East Coast, and Great Lakes Region have seen declines. The study utilized the Vegetation Polarization Index (VPI) to measure these disparities, revealing significant differences between the top and bottom 10% of vegetation greenness. The findings underscore the impact of socioeconomic factors and climate variability on urban vegetation distribution, with notable disparities in arid and temperate zones compared to tropical and snow zones. 
