Most of us live in cities, even though cities are not the healthiest places due to poor air quality, noisy surroundings and lack of recreational spaces.

Many cities have few green areas and consist of too much ‘concrete jungle’ which makes for a harsh environment for all living things. With the changing climate, the weather is expected to become more extreme.

One such effect will be urban heat islands, which will be even more profound, with heatwaves expected to increase 3 to 10-fold by 2080 depending on the climate scenario.

Additional trees in urban areas can lead to improvements in air quality (PM2.5 and NOX) and reduction in respiratory diseases.

Efficient and cost-effective absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere, increasing carbon sequestration in urban areas.

Cooling effect in summer heat waves and contributing to reduction in energy expenditure (for air conditioning).

Improvement in urban biodiversity by increasing the number of species that thrive in urban eco-systems.

Through water absorption of the soil and tree roots, the risk of pluvial flooding can also be diminished.

Abatement of excessive background and traffic noise in urban environment to improve quality of life.