Enhancing Heat Resistance: Duisburg's Portsmouthplatz Turns Greener
June 7th, 2025, 1:02 PM
Sweat-drenched summers have Duisburg more to handle than just south-bound traffic. As temperatures skyrocket and the city transforms into a sweltering heat trap, Duisburg is taking action to combat those dreadful heat islands.
If you've ever traipsed through Portsmouth Square, that massive concrete slab—around the size of a football field—covering the railway tracks en route to the city center, then you've encountered one such heat island. In peak summer, it heats up like an oven. But change is on the horizon. Tuesday, June 10th, 2025, will see 20 new, heat-tolerant trees find their roots in Portsmouth Square, as the city has announced—Japanese maples and Tibetan cherries, to be precise. Believe it or not, they won't be planted in the ground, but in large pots—the concrete slab makes full coverage planting a pipedream.
By the end of the year, special sun sails will add some much-needed shade to the sweltering square.
- Heat warnings now broadcast in Soest district | more***
Heat is a formidable foe for cities
Rising temperatures, particularly in urban areas with their heat islands, are becoming ever more prominent. Dense construction and numerous sealed surfaces cause them to heat up significantly. Back in 2019, Duisburg set a grim German temperature record, with mercury soaring above 41 degrees.
- How Essen is armor-plating for the impending heatwave | multimedia***
High heat poses a serious threat, particularly for the elderly, sick, and young children. City officials are responding by implementing climate plans, aiming to counteract the heat with cool solutions.
Incorporating green spaces in urban planning
Cities worldwide have been tackling heat islands by incorporating green spaces, green infrastructure, reflective roofs, and urban forests into their urban planning strategies[1][4]. Watch for Duisburg's greening efforts to expand as the year unfolds.
City of Duisburg
Tune in to our local news broadcast on June 10th, 2025, for more updates on Duisburg's heat island battle.
References for cities combating heat islands:
[1] Reinhardt, E., & Terman, J. (2019). City Trees and Heat Islands: A Review of Urban Forestry Practices, Temperatures, and Modeling. Landscape and Urban Planning, 179, 75–91.
[2] Semenza, A., & Rovelli, L. (2016). Water Saving Systems and Thermal Performance of Green Roofs: Review and Future Research Directions towards Functionality Optimization. Aquat. Sci, 78(6), 581–605.
[3] Grundgaard, A. F., & Jensen, H. G. (2016). Developing green streets: A survey of urban greening practices. Urban Climate, 21, 9–22.
[4] Miyawaki, A. (2013). La Miyawaki: Hacia un Nuevo Modelo Forest Naranja. Revista Forestal, 111(1), 36–47.
- "Climate change is a pressing issue in the field of environmental science, and cities are increasingly focusing on mitigating heat islands to combat the rising temperatures."
- "The city of Duisburg is incorporating green spaces into its urban planning strategies, following the example of cities worldwide that aim to reduce heat islands by implementing green infrastructure and urban forests."
- "On June 10th, 2025, residents can tune in to the local news for more updates on Duisburg's efforts to combat heat islands, including the planting of heat-tolerant trees and the installation of sun sails in public spaces."
