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Bringing nature into cities can help tackle climate change and boost people's health, according to a new study.

A report from the British Ecological Society shows that by doing things like planting more trees and increasing the amount of green spaces in cities can improve the health of people living there, provide habitats for local wildlife and create more green jobs.

"Cities are a place where most people interact with nature so improving this environment with nature-based solutions makes a lot of sense. said Professor Marc Cadotte of the University of Toronto-Scarborough, who was the lead author of the study.

"Any space, no matter how small, has value and can have a major contribution to environmental wellbeing."

How can increasing green spaces in cities help?

The study focussed on towns and cities and showed that trees have a big role to play in tackling environmental problems, as they trap and store carbon, which can help to cool cities down during a heatwave, as well as capturing pollution particles to help improve the air quality.

One example of this is the city of Leicester. It makes up just 0.03% of Britain's land area but accounts for around 0.2% of its above-ground carbon storage, with 97% of that down to its trees!

As well as trees, urban soil areas can also help by providing a source of calcium, which can absorb carbon from the air.

Another feature the study looked at was green roofs - which covers roof spaces with plants and vegetation.

They found that this helped to tackle overheating and provided a space for wildlife.

The study is part of a bigger report which will be published next month which aims to share how nature-based solutions can tackle climate change and help biodiversity in the UK.