Climate crisis will cause falling humidity in global cities

8 January 2021: Report in The Guardian “Urban regions around the world are likely to see a near-universal decrease in humidity as the climate changes, a study has found. The research suggests that building green infrastructure and increasing urban vegetation might be a safe bet for cities looking to mitigate rising temperatures. Half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, but cities only account for about 3% of global land surface. Lei Zhao, a scientist from the University of Illinois and the lead author of the paper published in Nature Climate Change, says this has meant that previous climate models have not produced data specific to cities.” Unfortunately the Nature Climate Change article is only available to buy or through subscription. The Guardian article can be accessed here. A longer run through the article is available in Wired – Climate Change Is Turning Cities Into Ovens. The GLA published in 2018 an online London Green Infrastructure Map and a Green Roofs Map and a comprehensive list of policies to support the growth green infrastructure in the capital are set out in the Mayor’s 2018 London Environment Strategy.