05/29/2026
🌳😌🌇The cooling power of trees starts with shade.
When surfaces like pavement, rooftops and buildings are exposed to direct sunlight, they absorb and store heat, releasing it back into the air long after the sun goes down. Trees interrupt that process. They shade sidewalks, streets and people, preventing surfaces from heating up in the first place. They also cool the surrounding air through evapotranspiration, the release of water v***r from leaves.
Together, shade and evapotranspiration allow trees to provide cooling at multiple scales at once — from lowering neighborhood air temperatures to reducing surface heating to easing hyperlocal thermal stress. This all makes outdoor conditions more bearable during the hottest months of the year and reduces heat-induced illness and mortality.
Learn more about the cooling potential of urban trees➡️ https://go.wri.org/cool-trees-fb
