This obvious science comes from the Department of “Well, Uh” Science and the University of Liverpool. It makes you wonder how many times public funds are used to study the same thing over and over again.
Urban forests reduce heat-related mortality, study shows
Among different types of vegetation, forests within walking distance of residential areas are particularly important for mitigating health risks associated with heat, a new study shows.
Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Across the globe, heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense. Therefore, how to effectively combat the adverse effects of high temperatures is an increasingly important research topic.
Urban greening is a promising strategy for limiting the negative health effects of extreme heat; however, there is still much to learn about how best to promote and implement it. It is unclear which types of green space are most important and how close green space should be to living areas.
A new study published in international environmental organization Among different types of vegetation, forests within walking distance of residential areas are particularly important for mitigating heat-related health risks, research shows.
The results join previous research conducted by a team of researchers from universities and research institutions in China, the UK and Spain, which used big data to measure the positive impact of urban greening on health.
Challenge common assumptions
Dr. Jinglu Song is the first and corresponding author of the new study and an associate professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Design at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU). She said the findings could reshape urban planning and public health strategies, especially in densely populated cities with limited green space.
Dr Song explained: “By analyzing data from Hong Kong, we found that compared to other types of vegetation such as grassland, nearby forests have a significant impact on reducing the risk of heat-related mortality, especially those within one kilometer of residential areas. forest.
“Our findings suggest that urban greening strategies should focus on planting trees within walking distance of local residents, in addition to adding other types of vegetation in specific areas.”
Dr Song said the research challenges some traditional assumptions about urban greening strategies and has the potential to have significant implications for urban planners, designers and public health initiatives.
“For example, it challenges the idea that small green spaces close to where people live are most effective for improving health, particularly those within 300 or 500 metres.
“In contrast, our research shows that broader greening strategies, particularly those involving trees, are more effective within 1 kilometer of a community,” she added.
New method leads to more accurate results
The study used an innovative method to measure average green space cover in people's immediate environment, also known as “distance-based green space exposure.” Rather than using traditional indices that measure the proportion of green space within planning units, it considers how many people actually use green spaces and how far away they are from those spaces.
“Our approach more accurately describes how urban residents interact with green spaces and how these interactions influence health outcomes,” said Dr. Song.
The research team's motivation to delve deeper into this topic stems from the need for concrete evidence on the health benefits of specific types of green space and actionable information on urban greening measures.
“We will explore this topic further through extended research in different climatic regions and urban environments. Potential research directions may include examining the impact of different vegetation types on health outcomes other than mortality, studying the mechanisms by which green space affects health, and the application of emerging technologies to enhance assessments of urban greening.
Magazine
international environmental organization
DOI
10.1016/j.envint.2024.108950
Relevant
