Trees in London

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London 'needs two million trees'

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green space in inner London should rise by 5%, the report said

An extra two million trees should be planted in London to combat rising temperatures over future decades, the mayor's environment plan has suggested. Projections suggest average summer temperatures could be 3.9C higher in London by 2080.

However increasing tree numbers by 2025, as well as creating more green space and roofs, may help to thwart these projections, the report added.

The authors also backed paying the public to recycle more.

The RecycleBank trials will be piloted in five outer London boroughs, where residents will get vouchers linked to the amount of waste they recycle.

Isabel Dedring, London mayor Boris Johnson's environment advisor, said: "People really struggle to see how an old, Victorian built-up city like London can really be a low carbon city, which if you look at the targets, it needs to be.

"There are lots of things we can do collectively offsetting those rises, and we have to start doing that now."

'Island effect'

She said that trees in London's streets improved air quality.

Mr Johnson promised to fund 10,000 extra trees in his election campaign and so far 1,500 have been planted.

Temperatures in London are affected by the "urban heat island effect", where buildings absorb and release heat.

To counter this, the report has called for more roofs and walls to be covered with vegetation.

Other schemes put forward include a district heating project as well as making buildings and homes more energy efficient.

There are also plans to install low-energy traffic lights from 2010.