Canals in Great Britain and Ireland cool city neighbourhoods up to 50 metres from their banks, particularly during heatwaves. That’s the key finding of our new research which modelled the impact of canals on urban temperatures – quantifying their importance for the millions of people who live and work nearby.
While canals are found widely throughout UK and Irish cities, reflecting the legacy of the Industrial Revolution, their role in combating urban heating had been largely unknown.
