Trees may not cool cities during heat waves as previously thought

A new study suggests that the cooling potential of greenery decreases in sweltering conditions. Many cities have taken initiatives to plant more trees to help combat climate-induced urban warming. However, these bold planting efforts may not be as effective in solving this problem as we once thought.

A study by UNSW Sydney researchers Kai Gao, Dr. Jei Feng and Scientia Professor Mattheos (Mat) Santamouris found that in extremely hot conditions, the benefit of trees is severely limited in moderating the heat. Findings published in journal Sustainable Cities and Society show that conventional climate models overestimated the cooling capacity of trees during heat by 60 %. (Ben Knight, University of New South Wales, more at phys.org)