Cool our Cities! (Urban Nature)

An increasing number of people are living in cities, with the figure already approaching 80 per cent. In summer, in particular, there are few places to escape to. The heat builds up inside flats, and outside there is nothing but tarmac stretching as far as the eye can see, absorbing the sun’s heat.

Trees, green roofs, wild spaces and parks in cities act as natural air conditioning. Trees not only provide shade, but can also lower the perceived temperature by up to 15 degrees on hot days. At the same time, they provide a habitat for birds and insects, and they absorb heavy rainfall like a sponge.

This crowdsourcing platform enables users to mark the hottest areas in their town, city or region and suggest ways these spaces could be improved with vegetation.