Trees Can Halve The Heat Trapped in Cities, But There's a Catch

A global study of nearly 9,000 cities found urban trees can cut the urban heat island effect by about 50%.

That cooling often translates to roughly 0.5–1.5°C lower temperatures in many cities.

But tree cover is unevenly distributed and is more common in wealthier, suburban, and humid areas.

Researchers say urban trees could help cities adapt to worsening heat, but the benefits are not shared equally.