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Urban greenery can play a significant role in absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide. According to a Columbia University study, trees, shrubs, flowers, herbs, and grasses in the five boroughs of New York City...

Wei, Dandan, Andrew Reinmann, Luke D. Schifer, and Roisin Commane. High resolution modeling of vegetation reveals large summertime biogenic CO₂ fluxes in New York City. Environmental Research Letters 17, 12 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aca68f.

Quality pollinator habitat can be created beneath solar arrays. In an Oregon experiment, researchers found that pollinator abundance, diversity, and richness as well as pollinator-flower visitation rates were...

Graham, Maggie, Serkan Ates, Andony P. Melathopoulos, Andrew R. Molkdenke, Sandra J. DeBano, Lincoln R. Best, and Chad W. Higgins. ”Partial shading by solar panels delays bloom, increases floral abundance during the late-season for pollinators in a dryland, agrivoltaic ecosystem”. Scientific Reports 11, 7452 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86756-4.

Areas of urban forest can contain as much carbon in above-ground biomass as similarly sized areas of tropical rainforest, according to a LiDAR analysis of trees in the London Borough of Camden.

Wilkes, Phil, Mathias Disney, Matheus Boni Vicari, Kim Caleders, and Andrew Burt. Estimating urban above ground biomass with multi-scale LiDAR. Carbon Balance Manage 13, 10 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13021-018-0098-0.

An in-depth analysis assessing urban tree cover and its impact on residential building energy use in the coterminous United States estimates a reduction of 38.8. million MWh or $4.7 billion in electricity use and...

Nowak, David J., Nathaniel Appleton, Alexis Ellis, and Eric Greenfield. (2017). Residential building energy conservation and avoided power plant emissions by urban and community trees in the United States. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 21: 158-165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2016.12.004

The monetary benefits of urban trees outweigh their maintenance and other associated costs. In a study of five U.S. cities, each dollar invested in urban trees returned between $1.37 and $3.09 in benefits. Benefits...

McPherson, Greg, James R. Simpson, Paula J. Peper, Scott E. Maco, and Qingfu Xiao. (2005). Municipal forest benefits and costs in five U.S. cities. Journal of Forestry 103(8), 411-416.

Using cool roofs, urban shade trees, and high-albedo pavements to mitigate urban heat islands, can potentially reduce U.S. energy use for air conditioning by 20%, saving over $4 billion per year in energy use. When...

Akbari, Hashem, Mel Pomerantz, and Haider Taha. (2001). Cool surfaces and shade trees to reduce energy use and improve air quality in urban areas, Solar Energy, 70 (3), 295-310.

Simulations of the impact of tree shade on residential air conditioning in California showed that three shade trees (two on the west, one on the east side) could reduce a home's annual energy use for cooling by 10...

Simpson, James R., and E. Gregory McPherson. (1996). Potential of tree shade for reducing residential energy use in California. Journal of Arboriculture, 22(1), 10-18.

Carbon sequestration rates are up to 90 times greater for healthy large trees than healthy small trees. In Chicago's urban forest, a typical 3-in diameter tree sequesters approximately 2.3 lbs annually, which is...

McPherson, Gregory E., David J. Nowak, Rowan A. Rowntree. (1994). Chicago’s Urban Forest Ecosystem: Results of the Chicago Urban Forest Climate Project. USDA Forest Service Northeastern Forest Experiment Station General Technical Report NE-186, 63-81.

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