Cities are vulnerable to heatwaves. But green spaces can help more than we thought

It’s not just that the planet is getting hotter; cities are getting much hotter than their surroundings. In fact, urban heatwaves have become a common occurrence, affecting 1.7 billion people. In Europe alone, the 2023 heatwave killed over 61,000 people. Now, a new study by researchers in the U.K. shows how much green interventions can help cool down cities. The world is heating up as a result of our activity — by now, hopefully, we all know that. But fewer people know that cities are heat islands. The Urban Heat Island is a phenomenon where urban and suburban areas experien...