Urban greening can reduce impact of global heating in cities, finds study

Planting trees, rainwater gardens and de-paving can mitigate effects of climate crisis, according to analysis of 2,000 cities

Urban greening initiatives such as planting street trees, rainwater gardens and de-paving can help mitigate the impacts of urban heating due to the climate crisis and urban expansion, according to a study that has found cities have been warming by 0.5C a decade on average.

Scientists at Nanjing and Yale Universities analysed satellite data from across 2,000 cities and compared surface temperature readings between cities and rural areas from 2002 to 2021.