Daijiworld Media Network- Melbourne
Melbourne, May 1: In a landmark global study underscoring the life-saving potential of green urban spaces, researchers from Monash University in Australia have revealed that increasing urban vegetation cover by 30% could avert more than 1.1 million deaths worldwide caused by heat-related illnesses.
The study, spanning two decades and published in The Lancet Planetary Health, analysed the impact of increased greenness in over 11,000 urban areas globally between 2000 and 2019. It found that urban vegetation not only cools surface temperatures but also significantly reduces mortality due to extreme heat exposure.
According to the study, a 10%, 20%, and 30% increase in urban greenery can bring down the average warm-season temperature by 0.08°C, 0.14°C, and 0.19°C respectively. These seemingly modest drops in temperature could prevent 0.86 million, 1.02 million, and 1.16 million deaths worldwide, the study reported.
“This is the first modelling study to estimate both the cooling and modifying effects of urban greenness, providing a more comprehensive picture of its benefits,” said Professor Yuming Guo, lead author of the study. He emphasized that green infrastructure could be a strategic public health response to climate-induced temperature rise.
Urban regions in Southern Asia, Eastern Europe, and Eastern Asia were found to have the highest potential in preventing heat-related deaths through enhanced vegetation.
Heat exposure has emerged as a critical global health crisis, contributing to nearly 0.5 million deaths annually between 2000 and 2019—accounting for nearly 1% of all global mortality. The study warns that under the most severe climate change scenarios, this number could surge to 16.7% of total deaths in regions like Southeast Asia by the end of the century.
Beyond cooling, greenery influences various factors related to human health. Trees and vegetation provide shade, reduce air pollutants, support mental well-being, and encourage physical activity and social interaction—factors that cumulatively boost urban livability.
Professor Guo added, “Preserving and expanding urban green cover is not just an environmental or aesthetic issue—it is a matter of public health and survival in the era of climate change.”