The urban heat effect is caused by streets, parking lots, buildings, cars (made of concrete, asphalt, brick, metal) absorbing solar heat and holding for release over time.
Lay down on a sunny afternoon in a meadow in the country or on the surface of a parking lot - where are you going to be hotter?
CO2 emissions don't cause the urban heat effect.
... The main cause of the urban heat island effect is from the modification of land surfaces, which use materials that effectively store short-wave radiation.
..... As a population center grows, it tends to expand its area and increase its average temperature. The less-used term heat island refers to any area, populated or not, which is consistently hotter than the surrounding area.
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Other causes of a UHI are due to geometric effects. The tall buildings within many urban areas provide multiple surfaces for the reflection and absorption of sunlight, increasing the efficiency with which urban areas are heated. This is called the " urban canyon effect". Another effect of buildings is the blocking of wind, which also inhibits cooling by convection and pollution from dissipating. Waste heat from automobiles, air conditioning, industry, and other sources also contributes to the UHI
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