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Vegetation in built up areas of cities are responsible for a surprisingly substantial take up of city CO2 emissions, researchers have found, looking at the biogenic CO2 flux in greater New York. Up to 40% of anthropogenic emissions during summer days may be sequested in New York, which has a tree canopy coverage of about 22%, and grasses (lawns) another 12% of the area.

Provides reason for further enhancing urban greenery and urban forests as part solution to the #ClimateCrisis.

Lead author Dandan Wei said "This tells us that the ecosystem matters in New York City, and if it matters here, it probably matters everywhere else.”

Columbia Uni Media Release: New York City's Greenery Absorbs a Surprising Amount of Its Carbon Emissions https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2023/01/05/new-york-citys-greenery-absorbs-a-surprising-amount-of-its-carbon-emissions/

Study: High resolution modeling of vegetation reveals large summertime biogenic CO2 fluxes in New York City https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aca68f