According to a study published in The Lancet, planting more trees in metropolitan areas might cut heat-related mortality by one-third.
Researchers calculated that increasing tree cover in 93 European towns to 30% might reduce local temperatures by 0.4°C on average throughout hot summer months, preventing one-third of the 6,700 preventable deaths resulting from higher temperatures in those areas in 2015.
Only 15% of Europe’s urban surroundings are now covered with vegetation. The study is the first to estimate the number of fatalities that may be avoided if more trees were planted, and it intends to educate local policymakers and decision-makers on the advantages of environmentally friendly infrastructure in fostering healthy and sustainable urban settings.
The findings underscore the relevance of urban tree planting as a strategy for mitigating the consequences of the urban heat island effect, which result in significantly raising temperatures in cities, as well as the effects of climate change.
