Canals in Great Britain and Ireland cool city neighbourhoods up to 50 metres from their banks, particularly during heatwaves. That’s the key finding of our new research which modelled the impact of canals on urban temperatures – quantifying their importance for the millions of people who live and work nearby.

While canals are found widely throughout UK and Irish cities, reflecting the legacy of the Industrial Revolution, their role in combating urban heating had been largely unknown.

Our team found that canals cool their immediate surroundings during the day, typically extending 20–50 metres from canal banks. This cooling effect is greater during spring and early summer (approximately −1.2°C to −1.4°C), and is particularly pronounced during heatwaves, with cooling of more than 2°C.

Canals also warm their surroundings at night, but this effect is much smaller (approximately 0.2°C).

Health and economic benefits

To study whether canals cool or warm........

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