"Conversely, if 10% of the green cover were removed temperatures in
Manchester could be 7-8°C
warmer".
Trees in Towns 2 and Jeremy Barrell et al have been warning about the gradual
erosion of urban tree cover and the above quote gives that a tangible
perspective.
Slightly flippantly but with a serious point I pointed out to a recent GI
meeting at DEFRA that this
statement needs careful thought. I used the banner of “the poor people of
Manchester”.
In summer Manchester airport is a busy place. Around 20 million passengers a
year. 682,000 a year
headed for Mallorca. 671,000 headed for Tenerife. I could provide a long list
of other destinations
that are hot and I expect that the main reason for people going to these
places is that they are
hotter than Manchester….even in mid summer.
So I think it is fair to say that a significant proportion of Manchester
might be quite happy if
Manchester was 7-8 degrees warmer in summer. [Note: I don’t think the effect
is that large even if
you removed every tree, but that is another point]. Of course there will be
the ill and in firm who
may want to avoid peak temperatures but should the world be kept cold just
for them?
So I am suggesting that the logical outcome of the initial comment is that
some people might want to
cut the trees down in Manchester, not plant more!
Jon Heuch Tel: +44 (0)1233 713 466 Mob: +44 (0)7810 610 712
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