Can urban green infrastructure influence the urban heat island effect and air quality nexus?

Urban green infrastructure can significantly mitigate the urban heat island effect and improve air quality, with well-maintained greenspaces offering greater dual benefits than engineered systems.

• Why it matters: Addressing the combined challenges of urban heat and air pollution is crucial for public health amid ongoing climate change and urban densification, yet their interactions are rarely studied together.
• What they did: A comprehensive review analyzed mechanistic and qualitative evidence from various UGI types, focusing on shading, evapotranspiration, particulate matter deposition, gaseous pollutant sequestration, and secondary aerosol inhibition across different climate zones.
• The result: Findings suggest that integrated UGI strategies, tailored to local conditions, can optimize cooling and air purification, though limitations like biogenic emissions and small effect sizes must be managed to maximize benefits.