Source: International Business Times
An aerial view of the city of Athens on April 18, 2025 AFP On a cloudy spring morning in one of Athens' most densely inhabited districts, thousands of fresh saplings dotting a small hilltop park mark a fledgling effort to tackle crippling heat that critics say is long overdue. This is Athens' first "micro-forest", part of an initiative by recently elected mayor Haris Doukas to plant 5,000 trees annually in the thickly concreted city, where in summer the thermostat routinely tops 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Planting vegetation is crucial to help cities beat the heat, scientists say, as climate change stokes hotter and more intense heatwaves and the so-called "urban heat island" effect amplifies temperatures among tightly packed buildings.
