Nearly 85 percent of Obuasi Municipality is now classified as “hot” surface terrain, according to new satellite-based environmental data, raising concerns over the impact of rapid urbanisation, deforestation and climate change on one of Ghana’s major mining towns.

The findings, contained in the municipality’s emerging Structure Plan and presented during a spatial planning workshop organised by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), show that 84.62 percent of Obuasi’s land surface recorded temperatures between 30°C and 40°C in 2025.

The figure marks a sharp increase from 60.28 percent recorded in 2020, highlighting what planners describe as a rapid transformation of the municipality’s thermal environment.

Municipal Physical Planning Officer Agnes Amoah said the increase in land surface temperatures is closely linked to the widespread loss of vegetation as forests and green spaces continue to give way to residential developments, roads and other infrastructure.

According to the assessment, areas classified as “warm,” with temperatures ranging between 20°C and 30°C, have shrunk considerably over the past five years. After rising to nearly 39 percent of the municipality in 2020, they now account for less than 15 percent of the land area.

Although areas exceeding 40°C remain limited, the report warns that the rapid expansion of the broader hot temperature zone poses an increasing environmental and public health challenge.

The study found that the municipality experienced a temporary cooling trend in 2020, when the proportion of hot surfaces declined and cooler temperature zones expanded.

That improvement, however, proved short-lived.

By 2025, satellite imagery showed the most significant increase in surface temperatures within the last decade, a period planners say coincided with intensified urban expansion, land conversion and continued vegetation loss.

The report noted that trees and vegetation play a critical role in regulating temperatures by providing shade and absorbing solar radiation. Their removal has left larger expanses of exposed concrete, paved roads and bare ground that retain heat for longer periods.

Speaking at the workshop, Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive Faustilove Appiah Kannin called for stronger collaboration between government institutions, development partners, traditional authorities and residents to address the municipality’s growing environmental and development challenges.

She said sustainable urban development would require careful spatial planning alongside measures to preserve green spaces and improve climate resilience.

The workshop brought together officials of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, traditional leaders, Assembly Members, Unit Committee Members, representatives of GIZ and members of the media to discuss strategies for guiding the municipality’s future growth.

Planning officials say expanding tree cover, protecting green spaces and adopting climate-sensitive development policies will be critical if Obuasi is to reverse the rising temperatures while sustaining its economic growth.