Planting trees in cities could help prevent thousands of heat-related deaths

Scorching heatwaves have seared through Europe in recent weeks, creating widespread chaos and disruption for vast swathes of the population. For some, these weather conditions are merely an inconvenience: cancelling plans to stay indoors, struggling to perform everyday tasks in the heat, and having problems falling asleep at night. For others, however, they are having far more severe – even deadly – consequences. 

Heatwaves are becoming an all-too-frequent occurrence. Intolerable heat, out of control wildfires, and unnerving evacuations also consumed Europe last year throughout the hottest summer ever recorded. As temperatures soared, so did casualties. These record-breaking conditions were responsible for over 60,000 deaths. By 2030, it’s predicted Europe will suffer 68,000 heat-related deaths annually, increasing to a staggering 120,000 by 2050.
 

Climate change is triggering record-breaking temperatures

Heat is undeniably a deadly weapon, but humankind is providing much of the ammunition. Global warming is rapidly catching up with us and the consequences are becoming increasingly alarming. Human-generated climate change is now thought to account for over a third (37%) of all heat-associated fatalities.

What’s more, time is running out to prevent further devastation. The Earth is now 1°C warmer than it was pre-industrial revolution, and experts warn that an increase of 1.5°C – which is expected to happen by 2030 – would have disastrous health impacts. According to figures, by 2100, unless we collectively take action to slow the rising temperatures, we’re on track for a catastrophic 3-4°C increase.
 

Trees are a simple, yet effective solution

We should use every resource at our disposal to prevent temperature increases hitting the 1.5°C mark, and trees are one of our most valuable allies in this fight. While they undoubtedly look aesthetically pleasing, with their mere presence in the vicinity increasing house prices by 20%, that’s certainly not their only benefit. In their role as the lungs of our Earth, trees drastically reduce carbon dioxide levels – a key contributor to climate change – in the atmosphere. A hardwood tree, for example, is able to absorb up to 48 pounds of CO2 per year. In order to meet the government’s target of net-zero by 2050, specialists advise increasing woodland coverage in the UK from 13% to 19%.
 

Cities need more green

City landscapes are crucibles that contain all of the elements needed to form a heat trap: skyscrapers absorb heat, pollution levels are elevated, and greenery is lacking. As a result, urban areas with a population of more than 1 million can be between 1-3°C warmer than their rural surroundings.

As well as stunting global warming by reducing carbon emissions, trees also retain far less heat than concrete surfaces do, and further reduce temperatures by absorbing then releasing water in the form of a cooling vapour. This, combined with the fact that they provide shade to otherwise heat- trapped areas, means that more trees in our cities could go a long way towards solving the Earth’s climate crisis.
 

We’re making an impact, and so can you

Hays has been partnered with Trees for Cities since January 2022, helping to support their mission to plant and protect urban trees. During the 2022-2023 planting season, the charity planted 38,919 trees in locations that included Newcastle, Leeds, Ramsgate, Wrexham and Edinburgh, and 11,608 of these were funded by Hays. You too can get involved and support Trees for Cities through volunteering, donations, or fundraising – together, we are so much stronger in our fight against the catastrophic effects of climate change.

If you’d be interested in working for a company – like Hays – that cares about sustainability and takes action, then take a look at our careers page.