Madrid rises 1°C while other cities around the world exceed 2.5°C – expansion

The capital city stands out as the city with the least warming in the world compared to 11 other major cities

Madrid stands out as the city with the least warming in the world, with only 1°C additional in recent years, compared to 2°C in London or 3°C in New York.

This is one of the findings of a groundbreaking study commissioned by the Nature&People Foundation from Evertree and Agforest to understand the effects of biodiversity loss in cities.

Specifically, the study analyzes the impact of urbanization on biodiversity loss in 12 of the world’s major cities: New York, London, Madrid, Washington D.C., Nairobi, Shanghai, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Medellin, Rio de Janeiro, Lagos and Sao Paulo. All this through the analysis of a twenty-year history of satellite data by applying artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms.

The research reveals that the rapid urbanization of these cities over the last 20 years has led to a decrease in urban green spaces and, as a consequence, a 24% increase in the heat island effect in these environments. This translates into temperatures in these cities being 2.5°C higher than two decades ago. In addition, the loss of biodiversity further aggravates social fragmentation and increases inequalities, making the search for sustainable urban solutions even more urgent.

Madrid, on the other hand, leads the way in urban biodiversity, with a 14% increase in green coverage since 2000.

According to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, public and private investment in urban green infrastructure in 2022 was $606 billion, across a wide range of assets. Despite this, funding levels are far below the actual needs to meet climate and biodiversity targets.

See complete article here