The Power of Urban Trees in Cooling Cities

With global temperatures continually surpassing historic records, we need to adapt faster than ever. In a recent national YouGov survey commissioned by Trees for Cities, we asked the public whether they're aware of the full cooling powers of urban trees.

88%

of UK adults either underestimate or don’t know the maximum cooling effect of urban trees

Whilst 86% of UK adults agree that trees are important to help cool our towns and cities, the vast majority either underestimate or don’t know the maximum cooling effect of urban trees, which can be up to 8 degrees Celsius (according to Forest Research).

This got us curious; on a hot summer's day, do people appreciate the trees around them? To find out, we headed to locations where we've planted trees before and put the question to people out and about in the city.

Access to trees is unequal

Over 1 in 3 UK adults (37%) can’t access trees to help them cool down in hot weather within a 5 minute walk (or equivalent) from their home. According to the 3-30-300 rule, your nearest high-quality public green space should be less than 300 metres from home (which equates to approximately a five minute walk). However, many people across the UK have to go further.

Most urban areas have a tree canopy cover of below 20% (according to the Tree Equity Map), which is the minimum recommended for UK towns. In some places, it's as low as 2%! Over 80% of the UK population live in urban areas, so when we're talking about being able to cool down in heatwaves, these are some concerning numbers.

Extreme heat can seriously affect human health and well-being, particularly with vulnerable people such as kids or the elderly. Our pets also suffer during heatwaves as they are very susceptible to heat stroke. Heat-related mortality has been identified as a key risk to human health, and is on the rise.

The power of trees

Trees provide shade - that's an obvious one, but why is this so important and what else do they do?

Suzanne Simmons, Urban Forest Director, explains:

One of the most tangible benefits of city trees is their ability to reduce urban heat by between 2ºC to 8ºC, through canopy shade and the cooling effects of air movement as the trees transpire. It might not sound like a lot, but this makes a huge difference to thermal comfort and in reducing the risks of heat-related illnesses.

Victoria Park in East London on a hot day, with a large tree in the middle of the field and people sitting underneath
Green spaces are a welcome respite during hot city days

What can you do to help?

In our 30th anniversary year, we’re looking to the future – in a world where access to nature and green space in towns and cities is more precious than ever, we’ll be doubling down on our efforts to plant and promote urban trees. To help us on our mission, you can:

Our partners in planting trees

We are thrilled to announce that we have received support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery. A huge thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their support, which means we can plant and protect urban trees.

We are well versed in the benefits of trees when it comes to helping wildlife thrive and the positive impact they have on our mental wellbeing. But it’s apparent that trees also have a vital role to play in helping increase the resilience of our cities to hot summers and the effects of climate change. I’m really pleased players of People’s Postcode Lottery are supporting Trees for Cities work with over £1 million in funding raised so far.

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery

2024 DUAL Green Trust Horiz small

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All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2087 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 19 - 22 July 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).