If you've been broiling in an asphalt jungle over the past few weeks, rest assured: the Turnbull government has a plan to cool you down.

The federal government wants to increase tree cover in big cities to dial down the heat and improve health and quality of life as part of its new focus on the lives of metropolis-dwellers.

Acting Cities Minister Greg Hunt is on Tuesday expected to outline a plan to work with cities to set goals for each decade to 2050 to increase "urban canopies", or overall tree coverage.

Mr Hunt last month took on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's pet Cities portfolio following the resignation of former minister Jamie Briggs.