Trees counter half the world's urban heating, but not where it's needed most

A person walks through the blooming Yoshino cherry trees at the University of Washington, in Seattle, the United States. — AP

Trees are countering nearly half the urban heating from pavement and buildings in the world's cities, but they're not doing enough cooling in hotter, poorer cities where it's needed the most as the world warms, a new study found.

When averaged out over all the world’s cities, tree cover - by giving shade and releasing water vapor - cools an average of 0.15°C, according to a study in Nature Communications.