One Billion People More Resilient
street trees
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Policy Solution

Street trees

Incentive

Case Studies

Summary

Trees provide cooling through evapotranspiration and shading that decreases temperatures along walkways. Increasing vegetation provides numerous co-benefits like reducing pollution, improving the public realm, and decreasing energy costs. The cost of planting and ongoing maintenance of trees can be a barrier. Providing incentives can encourage private property owners and businesses to plant trees.

Implementation

Encourage tree planting and protection through incentives such as stormwater fee reductions, tax credits, tax increment financing for property values, or grant programs.

Considerations for Use

Plantings require ongoing maintenance with associated costs and staffing.

Overview

  • Climate:

    Hot/Dry, Hot/Humid, Temperate

  • Policy Levers:

    IncentiveFinancial and non-financial incentives to encourage stakeholders to implement heat risk reduction and preparedness solutions, including rebates, tax credits, expedited permitting, development/zoning bonuses, and more.

  • Trigger Points:

    City planning processesIncludes city initiatives such as the development of climate action plan, pathway to zero-energy, master plan, transit plan, energy mapping etc.

  • Intervention Types:

    Green/natural Infrastructure

  • Sectors:

    Informal Settlements, Parks, Public Works

Case Studies

Impact

  • Target Beneficiaries:

    Heat-vulnerable communities, Property owners, Residents

  • Phase of Impact:

    Risk reduction and mitigation

  • Metrics:

    Change in urban canopy, Number of trees planted

Implementation

  • Intervention Scale:

    City, District, Neighborhood, Site

  • Authority and Governance:

    City government

  • Implementation Timeline:

    Medium-term (3-9 Years)

  • Implementation Stakeholders:

    City government

  • Funding Sources:

    Public investment

  • Capacity to Act:

    High, Medium

Benefits

  • Cost-Benefit:

    Medium

  • Public Good:

    High

  • GHG Reduction:

    Medium

  • Co-benefits (Climate/Environmental):

    Improve stormwater management, Preserve biodiversity, Provide flood protection, Reduce air and water pollution, Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

  • Co-benefits (Social/Economic):

    Build social cohesion, Improve human health, Improve the public realm, Increase property values