The Health Benefits of Urban Tree Planting城市種樹對健康的好處

Planting more trees in urban areas to lower summertime temperatures could decrease deaths directly linked to hot weather and heatwaves by a third， researchers said.

Modelling found that increasing tree cover to 30 percent would shave off 0.4 degrees Celsius locally， on average， during hot summer months， they reported in The Lancet.

The study is the first to project the number of premature deaths due to higher temperatures in cities that could be prevented by additional tree cover， said Tamara Iungman， a researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

研究人員稱，在城市種植更多樹木以降低夏季氣溫，可以將與炎熱天氣和熱浪直接相關的死亡人數減少三分之一。

根據他們在《柳葉刀》雜志上的報告，建模發現，在炎熱的夏季，將樹木覆蓋率增加到30%，當地平均氣溫可以降低0.4攝氏度。

巴塞羅那全球健康研究所研究員Tamara lungman說，這項研究首次預測了城市中因高溫導致的過早死亡人數，而更多的樹木覆蓋可以防止這種情況的發生。

“We already know that high temperatures in urban environments are associated with negative health outcomes， such as cardiorespiratory failure and premature death，” Tamara lungman said in a statement.

“Our goal is to inform local policy and decision-makers about the benefits of strategically integrating green infrastructure into urban planning in order to promote more sustainable， resilient and healthy urban environments.”

Tamara lungman在一份聲明中說：“我們已經知道，負面的健康結果，如心肺衰竭和過早死亡，與城市環境中的高溫有關。

“我們的目標是讓當地政策決策者了解將綠色基礎設施戰略性地納入城市規劃的好處，以促進更可持續、更有彈性和更健康的城市環境。”

Cities record higher temperatures than surrounding suburbs or countryside due to the so-called urban heat island effect.

This extra heat is caused primarily by a lack of vegetation， exhaust from air conditioning systems， along with dark-hued asphalt and building materials that absorb warmth.

Climate change has already amplified the problem. In 2022， Europe saw its hottest summer on record.

由于所謂的城市熱島效應，城市的氣溫比周邊的郊區或鄉村要高。

這種額外的熱量主要是由植被的缺乏、空調系統排放的廢氣、深色瀝青和吸收熱量的建筑材料造成的。

氣候變化已經加劇了這個問題。2022年，歐洲經歷了有史以來最熱的夏天。

Health Benefits

Heatwaves around the world are seeing record-breaking peaks， and have increased in duration in recent decades.

Climate models project that heat-related illness and death will present a bigger burden to health services within a decade.

“This is an important piece of research，” commented Laurence Wainwright， a lecturer at the University of Oxfords Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.

“Urban tree planting， on the right scale， in the right places， and under certain other conditions， likely leads to a reduction in heat-related deaths in many urban areas.”

Earlier studies have shown that green spaces can have additional health benefits such as reducing cardiovascular disease， dementia and poor mental health， as well as improving cognitive functioning of children and the elderly.

對健康的好處

近幾十年來，世界各地的熱浪出現了破紀錄的高峰，持續時間也有所增加。

氣候模型預測，與熱相關的疾病和死亡將在十年內給公共醫療帶來更大的負擔。

“這是一項重要的研究。”牛津大學史密斯企業與環境學院講師Laurence Wainwright評論道。

“在適當的規模、合適的地點和某些其他條件下，城市種樹可能會使許多城市地區與熱有關的死亡人數減少。”

早期的研究表明，綠色空間可以帶來額外的健康益處，如減少心血管疾病、癡呆和心理亞健康，以及改善兒童和老年人的認知功能。

Word Bank

project /pr?'d?ekt/ v. 預測；推想

The unemployment rate has been projected to fall.

integrate /'?nt?ɡre?t/ v. 使合并；成為一體

absorb /?b's??b/ v. 吸收（液體、氣體等）

The cream is easily absorbed into the skin.