Keeping London Cool: Greening for a More Resilient City

As London experiences more frequent periods of extreme heat, green infrastructure is becoming an essential part of climate resilience. Trees, rain gardens, green roofs and living walls can help cool streets, provide shade, improve air quality, reduce flood risk and create healthier, more attractive places for people to spend time.  

For over a decade, CRP has brought together local authorities, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), businesses and landowners to deliver practical greening solutions across London that support our partners. 

For example, our award-winning Greening the BIDs programme supported Business Improvement Districts across central London to deliver 19 Green Infrastructure Audits and 16 installations, including rain gardens, green roofs and living walls. One of the most recognisable examples is the Living Wall at the Rubens Hotel in Victoria, which incorporates around 10,000 plants and helps cool the local environment while supporting biodiversity.  

Similarly, CRP’s more recent Healthy Streets Everyday programme delivered 23 greening improvements across 11 London boroughs. From pocket parks to innovative CityTrees installations, these projects have helped to improve local environments and create healthier, more welcoming streets. This great work is being continued as part of our Healthy Streets Everyday II Programme. 

By integrating greening with wider initiatives to improve air quality, promote active travel and enhance public spaces, CRP and its partners are helping London adapt to a changing climate. As temperatures continue to rise, these projects demonstrate how green infrastructure can play a vital role in creating cooler, healthier and more resilient neighbourhoods for everyone. 

Interested in delivering greening projects in your area? Contact CRP Interim Director Fiona Coull to explore how we can support you to develop and deliver green infrastructure solutions.