Photo-interpretation was used to determine current urban cover (tree, impervious, grass, other cover) percentages and recent changes in cover types throughout the world. Within existing urban areas, the average global urban tree cover had a slight, but statistically significant decline from 26.7 % to 26.5 % (c. 2012–2017), or a loss of about 40,000 ha per year. All continents exhibited a loss in urban tree cover except for Europe; the greatest decrease in percent tree cover was in Africa.
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