A study conducted by Maria A. Barceló, Marc Saez and Diego Varga, researchers from the University of Girona’s Research Group on Statistics, Econometrics and Health (GRECS), shows that protecting public health during heatwaves requires not simply more urban green space, but healthy, functional vegetation. Drawing on more than a decade of data from the Girona health areas, the findings indicate that high-quality vegetation can reduce heat-related mortality by providing shade, cooling the environment and helping to improve air quality, particularly when extreme temperatures coincide with elevated ozone levels. The study therefore calls for urban greening policies to prioritise the maintenance, ecological quality and equitable distribution of vegetation, especially in the most vulnerable neighbourhoods, recognising well-managed green infrastructure as an essential public health resource in the face of climate change.
