The Landsat TM/ETM+ images, from 1997to 2009, were used to analyze temporal changes of land use, land cover changes and urban heat island intensity. The relationship between temporal climatic variability and land use types was examined by an innovative construction of temperature vegetation index (TVX) space. Results show that Shanghai has undergone significant changes in land use and land cover over the study period. The land conversion, from forest land, farmland and water body to urban area, has led to the drastic increase of land surface temperature and the decline of fractional vegetation cover. The loss of forest land had the most serious climatic effect. Furthermore, the high-temperature region has expanded by different modes, from "Bottle Gourd Mode" to "Grape Bunch Mode" and to "Pancake mode" due to rapid urbanization and the population migration from city proper to rural areas. Our study could help urban planners and decision-makers to evaluate the environmental consequences of different land development scenarios, and identify portfolios of sustainable urban planning options for adapting to global environmental change.