Why is promoting green spaces important for cities?

Promoting green spaces in cities is essential for several reasons, with enhancing biodiversity and reducing heat effects being particularly significant. Green spaces, such as parks, gardens, and green roofs, provide habitats for various species, thereby contributing to greater biodiversity within urban environments. This is vital as urban areas often lack the natural ecosystems found in rural settings. Furthermore, green spaces play a critical role in mitigating the urban heat island effect, where cities experience higher temperatures than surrounding areas due to human activities and built environments. Vegetation in these spaces can cool the air through processes like shade provision and evapotranspiration, leading to more comfortable living conditions and reduced energy consumption for cooling.

In essence, the presence of green spaces helps to create healthier urban environments, fosters ecological balance, and combats climate change by lowering average city temperatures. This makes C the most accurate response with regard to the benefits of green spaces in urban planning and development.