This is how to reap the benefits of making our cities greener

Feb 24, 2022

The "urban heat island” effect means that cities are a few degrees hotter than rural areas. Image: UNSPLASH/Danist Soh

Mark O. Cuthbert

Principal Research Fellow & Reader, Cardiff University

Denis O'Carroll

Professor & Managing Director, UNSW Water Research Laboratory, UNSW Sydney

Gabriel C Rau

Assistant Professor, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

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'Urban greening strategies include community gardens, bushland and parks'. Image: UNSPLASH/Nerea Martí Sesarino

'Global map of the relative hydrological (water retention) as well as thermal (cooling potential) benefits of urban greening. Black dots are cities where our study analysed long-term weather data. A higher value closer to 1 means more cooling or more retention.' Image: Nature Communications

'Water retention (left) and cooling potential (right) of urban greening for Australia. The location of state capitals is highlighted.' Image: The Conversation

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