Why urban forests are critical to climate resilience

Urban forests should be reclassified from amenities to essential infrastructure to build climate resilience, say the authors of a new report.

The call comes as urban areas face increasing pressures from climate change, ranging from heatwaves and flooding to air pollution and wildfires.

Addressing urban climate challenges

Urban Forests as Climate Shields, authored by Ava G Halstead, Joaquin D Rodriguez Alvarez, and Michael Lake, outlines the growing evidence that tree canopies serve as cost-effective, multi-functional solutions to some of the most pressing urban climate challenges.

The authors argue for a systemic reframing of urban forestry within city planning and policy. Moving beyond aesthetics, they propose urban forests be treated as a climate adaptation priority, requiring integrated governance, long-term funding, and data-driven implementation.

Drawing on global case studies and supported by Leading Cities’ QBE AcceliCITY programme – recognised as one of the top three govtech accelerators globally – the article explores the role of urban forestry in reducing heat island effects, managing stormwater, improving air quality, and enhancing the social and ecological resilience of cities.

“If cities begin to treat trees as critical infrastructure, not decoration, we can transform how we adapt to the climate crisis”

The authors present urban forests as “climate shields”, natural systems that operate across multiple urban scales to reduce environmental risk and increase adaptive capacity.

A core focus of the paper is on how urban forests mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) effect through shade provision and evapotranspiration. The authors also examine the role of forests in reducing particulate matter and ground-level ozone concentrations, improving both respiratory health outcomes and environmental quality.