Urban forests' heat mitigation value reaches 1.33 trillion won

The National Institute of Forest Science has valued the economic benefit of urban forests in mitigating the heat island effect at 1.3334 trillion won. This figure represents a significant increase, nearly doubling the 2020 valuation of approximately 666.9 billion won.

The assessment factors in the area of urban forests per capita, the amount of electricity consumption saved per unit of forest area, and current electricity market prices. The rise in economic value is attributed to two primary drivers: a 22.6% increase in urban forest area per person between 2021 and 2023, and a 63.9% rise in electricity market prices compared to the previous study.

As heatwaves become more frequent and intense, researchers noted that urban forests serve not only to lower city temperatures but also act as essential cooling shelters and recreational spaces for the public.