Anthropogenic activities change population heat exposure much more than natural factors and land use change: An analysis of 2020−2100 under SSP-RCP scenarios in Chinese cities

•Propose an urban heat environment change attribution algorithm based on land use.•Focus on Chinese cities in SSP-RCP scenarios at four time periods in 21st century.•Attribute to natural factors, land use change, and other anthropogenic activities.•Evaluate heat exposure change of contributors during extreme heat using algorithm.•Anthropogenic activities is ∼15 times heat exposure change of the other two.