Urban tree cover and heat in Lahore

Moderate severity. Material effects on people or ecosystems; actively managed. Severity is descriptive editorial metadata summarising documented effects. It is not a measured index or a score.

1. 01

   Horizontal urban expansion

   Low-density growth converts vegetated and agricultural land into built surfaces.

2. 02

   Road widening and construction

   Infrastructure projects frequently remove mature roadside trees, whose cooling benefit takes decades to replace.

1. 01

   Higher daytime surface temperatures

   Built surfaces without shade absorb and re-emit more heat than vegetated ground.

2. 02

   Reduced dust capture and shade

   Tree canopy intercepts airborne dust and provides shade for pedestrians and street users.

3. 03

   Reduced rainfall infiltration

   Sealed surfaces send rainfall to drains rather than into the ground, increasing local flooding and reducing recharge.

1. Native species urban forestry

   Planting and, critically, maintaining native, drought-tolerant trees along streets and in parks.

   Expected effectIncreases shade and dust capture over years to decades as canopy matures.

2. Protecting mature trees in road projects

   Design standards that retain existing canopy during infrastructure works.

   Expected effectPreserves benefits that would take decades to re-establish.

Canopy trend

No verified figure

No verified city-wide canopy percentage is included here. Remote sensing studies report decline with urban expansion; consult a cited study for figures.

1. [1]Urban green spaces and healthWorld Health Organization Regional Office for Europe · Jan 2016who.int(opens in a new tab)

Links open the publishing organisation's site. Some point to the publisher's main page, where the named report or dataset can be found.