Urban Greenery Could Prevent Over 1 Mn Heat-Related Deaths

In April 2025, a groundbreaking 20-year modelling study revealed that expanding green cover in cities by 30% could avert up to 1.16 million deaths worldwide caused by extreme heat.

Key Points

Temperature Impact: Increasing vegetation by 10%, 20%, and 30% could reduce warm-season population-weighted mean temperatures by 0.08°C, 0.14°C, and 0.19°C respectively.
Life-Saving Potential: These temperature drops correlate with preventing approximately 0.86 million, 1.02 million, and 1.16 million heat-related deaths globally.
Most Affected Regions: Southern Asia, Eastern Europe, and Eastern Asia would benefit the most from enhanced green cover.
Heat Risk Growing: Heat exposure contributed to around 500,000 deaths annually between 2000–2019.
How Greenery Helps: Urban vegetation cools air through shade, reflection of solar radiation, and evapotranspiration — while also improving air quality, mental health, and physical well-being.