Barcelona embarks on major city greening plan to deal with urban heat islands

Barcelona has revealed plans to turn large parts of the city green.

The municipality announced a significant urban greening programme in May, which involves a doubling of the number of trees in the city, and an increase in the area covered by parks — some 100 football fields by 2019 (108 acres) and over 400 by 2030. The aim is to reduce the high temperatures that the city experiences during summer.

Most of Barcelona’s cooling green space is situated in the hills to the west of the city, rather than in the streets below, which can result in a difference of seven degrees celsius.

Although space is tight, the city is planning five new gardens, linked to existing green spaces with avenues of trees. Temporary gardens will spring up on sites marked for construction, roads will be buried and parking space turned over for more green areas.

As part of the urban greening plan, the city is providing 50 bursaries of €1,500 to develop green roofs. The best ten green roof suggestions could receive as much as €100,000 each.