Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, cilt.23, sa.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
This study models the current and future bioclimatic comfort zones of Türkiye in the context of climate change, using remote sensing data and advanced modelling techniques. The Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) index, based on the complex human energy balance, serves as the core metric for assessing bioclimatic comfort. In order to determine the current bioclimatic comfort of Türkiye, this research includes average temperature (°C), relative humidity (%) and wind speed (m/s) data from 2584 meteorological stations recorded at 14:00, as well as long-term daily data from 1998 to 2019. In addition, cloud cover data (octas) were derived from MODIS satellite sensor observations. Future projections for 2050 are based on air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and solar radiation data derived from the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios of the CMIP6 climate model projections. Meteorological data were interpolated to a spatial resolution of 1 km to match MODIS satellite imagery, resolving data losses caused by missing data records from meteorological stations. PET values were calculated using the RayMan model applied to 997,197 data points representing every square kilometre of the country. The results show significant spatial and temporal variability in bioclimatic comfort zones. Regions such as Kocaeli, Yalova, Çanakkale, Zonguldak and Istanbul experience up to 45 weeks of bioclimatic comfort per year, while areas such as Erzurum, Batman, Şırnak, Mardin and Ardahan experience only 38 weeks of comfort per year. Projections indicate a potential increase in PET values of 1.3–2.6 °C, highlighting the impact of climate change on the bioclimatic conditions of Türkiye.