Munich Trees Absorb More CO₂ Than Cars Some Summer Days

Imagine a city where nature works harder than car exhaust on a sunny summer afternoon. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich just proved that's already happening.

Professor Jia Chen and her team developed the world's most detailed model yet to track how city plants handle carbon dioxide. Unlike previous satellite models that could only see large parks, this new system zooms in with 10-meter resolution, capturing individual street trees and tiny green spaces that earlier studies completely missed.

The results surprised even the scientists. Urban trees in Munich offset about 2% of the city's total annual emissions. But during summer, when leaves are full and photosynthesis peaks, those same trees can absorb more CO₂ than every car in Munich produces in a single day.

The team spent nearly a year, from April 2024 to February 2025, conducting field measurements in Munich's parks to confirm their computer models matched reality. They tested their methods in both Munich and Zurich, and plan to expand to other cities worldwide.

Not all greenery performed equally. While trees emerged as carbon-absorbing superstars, grassy areas actually released more CO₂ than they captured because soil respiration outpaced photosynthesis. This finding challenges the assumption that any green space automatically fights climate change.

The Bright Side

This research offers cities a powerful new tool for climate planning. By mapping exactly which trees and green spaces deliver the biggest carbon benefits, urban planners can make smarter decisions about where to plant and what to protect.

Chen emphasizes the findings tell only part of the story. Beyond carbon capture, city trees cool neighborhoods during heat waves, create spaces for rainwater to soak into the ground instead of flooding streets, and simply make urban life more pleasant.

The high-resolution model reveals something earlier studies couldn't: the urban vegetation landscape is remarkably diverse, with huge variation in climate impact from block to block. A single mature tree on a city street might do more climate good than an entire lawn.

Cities worldwide are searching for practical ways to cut emissions while improving quality of life. This Munich study shows the trees already growing in our neighborhoods are working harder for us than we realized, and planting more in the right places could amplify their impact even further.