Climate change is taking a heavy toll on the ancient trees of Sanssouci, the sumptuous summer palace built in the 18th century as the Prussian answer to Versailles.Yet there is still hope for the gnarled inhabitants of historic parks such as Sanssouci, whose Rococo palace Prussian King Frederick the Great designed and built as a retreat during his reign from 1740 until 1786.
One way to curb urban heat is to plant deciduous trees – trees that shed their leaves with season change – in urban settings in increasing numbers. These trees are great for cities like Dhaka since they block sunlight during the summer, lessening the impact of the urban heat island effect, and let in light during the winter, saving money on heating costs.