Read our Privacy noticeCanals in Great Britain and Ireland cool city neighbourhoods up to 50 metres from their banks, particularly during heatwaves. Our team found that canals cool their immediate surroundings during the day, typically extending 20–50 metres from canal banks. This allowed us to look at all the urban canals of Great Britain and Ireland for an entire year, and how effects varied day to day and across the seasons. Canal cooling also provides economic savings – estimated by the Canal and River Trust at £14.4 million per year – due to reduced losses in labour productivity, for example. Why canals matterAround 6.2 million people live within 1km (roughly a 15-minute walk) of urban canals.