Environment Group: Trees and Urban Greenery are Critical Infrastructure

Berlin – Amidst the current heatwave, the German environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has urged the Bundestag to expedite measures for greening cities. The parliament recently debated a proposal by the Green Party on making cities climate-resilient, referring it to the environment committee.

DUH emphasizes that urban greenery, particularly mature, large trees, is crucial for climate adaptation and protecting the health of city dwellers from extreme heat. The organization advocates for prioritizing the protection of existing trees and their preservation over new plantings.

Barbara Metz, Federal Managing Director of DUH, stated: "Urban greenery is not decoration, but vital for survival. Merely planting new saplings symbolically after every felling is insufficient. Old trees are our natural air conditioners and cannot be replaced in the short term."

DUH calls for comprehensive tree registers and annual condition reports for urban trees. For private properties, the organization proposes a binding green space factor. For public areas, they demand clear minimum standards based on the '3-30-300 rule': three visible trees from residential and workplaces, 30 percent tree canopy cover in the neighborhood, and a maximum of 300 meters to the nearest green space for every citizen.

The organization argues that to protect cities from heat, urban greenery must be treated as critical infrastructure. DUH urged members of parliament to take responsibility and immediately advance these measures, given the record-breaking heatwaves ahead.