Athens has lost 60 per cent of its surrounding forests to fires, and urban planning has been neglected since the 2004 Olympics
ON a cloudy spring morning, Athens inaugurated its first “micro-forest” in Alepotrypa park, part of Mayor Haris Doukas’s initiative to plant 5,000 trees annually to combat extreme heat in the densely populated city.
With summer temperatures often exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), experts emphasize the importance of vegetation to mitigate the urban heat island effect exacerbated by climate change.
However, the newly planted saplings will take about a decade to mature, leading some, like architect Katerina Christoforaki, to criticize the effort as “too little, too late”.
Athens has lost 60 per cent of its surrounding forests to fires, and urban planning has been neglected, particularly after the 2004 Olympics.
Deputy Mayor Nikos Chrysogelos acknowledges missed opportunities to enhance the city’s climate resilience. Current green space per resident is only 0.96 square metres, far below the World Health Organization’s recommendation. — AFP
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