Milan plans to plant three million trees to combat severe air pollution
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The Forestami Foundation plans to plant three million trees and shrubs in Milan, Italy, over the next four years to reduce smog in the city.
Milan currently ranks as the only European city among the ten most polluted cities in the world, largely due to its location in the Po River valley where poor air circulation meets heavy industry and agriculture.
The foundation, established by architect Stefano Boeri, aims to use greenery on streets, roofs, and facades as a cost-effective way to filter fine particles and cool the urban environment. The project recently earned status as a UN World Leading Restoration Project during the COP17 conference in Yerevan, Armenia. This initiative covers an area roughly equal to 350 football fields, including former industrial zones and parking lots, and involves local schoolchildren in the work.
While a global effort is currently restoring 252 million hectares of ecosystems across 149 countries, UNEP director Inger Andersen warned that these efforts remain too slow. She stated that annual funding must increase more than fourfold to meet necessary restoration goals.
