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Green (and blue) spaces receive attention as important components of cities that can help to mitigate the effects of climate change, support biodiversity and improve public health. Green space planning aims to transform cities towards urban sustainability and resilience. In a longitudinal study, representatives from eleven European municipalities that had previously been interviewed in 2014 were re-interviewed in 2020–2021 on changes in urban greening and related practices. The interviewees reported mainly advancements in dealing with ecological issues, such as new plans, strategies, regulations or funding programmes for climate adaptation or biodiversity support, as well as some progress in co-governance with non-governmental stakeholders. Promising developments include breaking professional silos by creating new units that can better deal with complex urban issues. In a few cases, high-level local politicians induced profound changes. These changes stimulated the development of new planning and governance cultures, resulting in more co-creation of urban green spaces. However, from a transformation studies perspective, incremental strategies dominate, and even when municipal representatives are aware that substantive changes are needed, they often lack the means to act. For more radical system change, significant extra efforts are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of the urban heat island effect requires urban planning adaptation strategies that mitigate heat stress. While the cooling effect of urban green spaces has been well studied, knowledge gaps remain regarding the cooling potential of urban blue spaces. Particularly, how the cooling intensity of an urban blue space is influenced by its features and the context in which it occurs, such as its size, location, and more broadly the local climate and season, requires closer investigation. To address these gaps, we conducted a systematic review of studies exploring the thermal effect of urban blue spaces on the surrounding urban microclimate. We extracted the cooling or heating intensity of urban blue spaces, while considering how season, time of day, climate zone, water body size and methodological approach may influence results. Through analysis of 67 identified articles, we found that the thermal effect of blue spaces varies between seasons and time of day, with daytime temperatures in the surrounding urban climate cooled by 2.6 °C on average and maximum intensities observed during late spring and early summer. While at night-time in the summer, the thermal effect showed an average urban heating intensity of 0.6 °C. These values differ depending on the methodological approach used, with mean daytime cooling intensities varying considerably by method (field measurements: 1.4 °C; remote sensing: 3.4 °C; numerical modelling: 1.7 °C). The thermal effect also differed by climate zone, with results indicating a cooling intensity during the day with higher values in temperate climate zones. At night, both cooling and heating effects were observed in continental and temperate zones. The few studies reporting on water body size indicated a higher cooling intensity with greater size of the water body. These varying cooling or heating characteristics of urban blue spaces suggest they can be utilised in different planning contexts to achieve desired goals, depending on their features, the time and location, making them valuable nature-based solutions aimed at mitigating urban heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Parallel pollen monitorings and a park visitors' survey on park use and allergy symptoms were conducted. • 'Despite high pollen concentrations, most of the allergy sufferers did not change their park visitation routine. • Respondents with allergies rather seemed to regulate the pollen-related allergic symptoms through the use of medication. • Survey participants recommended urban green space planning should consider planting more non-allergenic trees and improving public pollen information and warning systems. Urban green spaces are highly important for the health and well-being of urban residents, especially under conditions of ongoing climate change and urbanisation. However, vegetation in urban parks may also present a risk to human health through the presence of allergenic plants and release of allergy-inducing pollen. Using the city of Leipzig as a case study, we monitored pollen abundance in two inner city parks and on the roof of a central university hospital during the pollen season in 2021. We also conducted a questionnaire survey with 186 city residents. Questions related to their allergic symptoms, perceived physical and mental health impairment, potential behavioural adaptations due to expected pollen exposure, and suggestions for urban planning. We found nine plant genera with particularly high concentrations of pollen across the monitoring sites, including especially Alnus and Betula. While a high proportion of trees planted in one of the parks were Betula , potentially explaining the high concentrations we monitored, the high pollen load for Alnus could not be explained by the local presence of Alnus trees at either park. A majority of respondents (61%) indicated they suffered from pollen-related allergic symptoms, with Betula pollen most often mentioned as a main cause of their health impairment. Of respondents with symptoms, 82% indicated they did not change their park visitation patterns due to expected pollen exposure. However, nearly two-thirds of the respondents took allergy medication at least once per week. Participants' recommendations for urban planning included considering allergies when selecting species for planting, improving urban air quality, and advancing public pollen information and warning systems. We conclude that particularly allergenic trees, such as Betula , should be avoided in densely populated urban areas, because of the potential for a large number of residents to experience allergy symptoms. However, such species should not be completely avoided, as plant diversity is still a crucial element of ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change and urbanisation. Combining objective and subjective data on the burden of allergenic pollen, as was done in our study, can help derive such targeted policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green spaces have gained attention because of their increasing relevance to human well-being in the context of challenges related to urbanization and climate change. Detailed, systematic, citywide assessments of specific urban green space characteristics that provide a sufficient understanding of resident interactions with green spaces and respective ecosystem service flows are lacking. We chose the city of Leipzig, one of the fastest growing cities in Germany, as a case study to assess the quality of publicly available green spaces by incorporating spatial context as a key dimension in determining their actual quality. We established 33 indicators that describe (1) natural elements, e.g., the types and configuration of vegetation and the proportion of water bodies; (2) built elements, e.g., various recreational facilities and path density; and (3) the embeddedness of green spaces within the built, social, and natural environment (context), e.g., the number of neighboring residents, nearby green or blue elements, and exposure to traffic. Based on these indicators, we developed a scoring approach that provides an evaluation of green space quality in terms of the potential to provide recreational ecosystem services. We identified and discussed spatial gaps and deficits in the quality of green space supply as well as leverage points for making operational improvements at the individual green space level. Our study provides urban planning guidance for identifying untapped potential for ecosystem services provision, e.g., because of usage barriers, and may help to balance the tradeoffs between benefits for citizens and ecology and thus improve green spaces for both people and nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Distributive patterns alone cannot explain older people's park visitation patterns. • Older people's Integration in social networks enhances park visitation. • Elders with bad self-rated health are likely to visit parks hardly ever. • Framework that considers distributive, interactional and participatory justice alike. Urban green spaces provide multiple ecosystem services to city residents and are considered an important element of socio-environmental justice. For older people, urban green spaces are important for health and well-being because they provide spaces for physical activity and social interaction. They can be regarded as spaces of encounter. Drawing on a comprehensive dataset of park visitation patterns, demographic characteristics and social network patterns, we explore older people's urban green space visitation patterns for the case of Berlin (Germany). We found that older people who have close social networks use urban parks more often than those who are more isolated in their daily lives. Self-estimated good health also contributes to more frequent park use. We discuss these findings along the three dimensions of socio-environmental justice: distributive, interactional and procedural. Based on our findings, we develop a framework that calls for an integrated view of these three justice dimensions, which all contribute equally and inseparably to a just provision of urban ecosystem services. Most importantly, we recommend urban planning to understand the city as an integrated socio-ecological system in which the planning and design of urban green spaces focus on providing ecosystem services together with enabling the creation of social networks in order to increase socio-environmental justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective urban planning, and urban green space management in particular, require proper data on urban green spaces. The potential of urban green spaces to provide benefits to urban inhabitants (ecosystem services) depends on whether they are managed as a comprehensive system of urban green infrastructure, or as isolated islands falling under the responsibility of different stakeholders. Meanwhile, different urban green space datasets are based on different definitions, data sources, sampling techniques, time periods and scales, which poses important challenges to urban green infrastructure planning, management and research. Using the case study of Lodz, the third largest city in Poland, and an additional analysis of 17 other Polish cities, we compare data from five publicly available sources: 1) public statistics, 2) the national land surveying agency, 3) satellite imagery (Landsat data), 4) the Urban Atlas, 5) the Open Street Map. The results reveal large differences in the total amount of urban green spaces in the cities as depicted in different datasets. In Lodz, the narrowly interpreted public statistics data, which are aspatial, suggest that green spaces account for only 12.8% of city area, while the most comprehensive dataset from the national land surveying agency reveals the figure of 61.2%. The former dataset, which excludes many types of green spaces (such as arable land, private and informal green spaces), is still the most commonly used. The analysis of the 17 other cities confirms the same pattern. This results in broader institutional failures related to urban green infrastructure planning, management, and research, including a lack of awareness of green space quality (e.g. connectivity) and benefits (ecosystem services), and the related political disregard for urban green spaces. Our comparison suggests that a better understanding of green space data sources is necessary in urban planning, and especially when planning urban green infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green space (UGS) availability has become an increasingly important aspect of planning and research because of the importance of green spaces for the wellbeing of urban residents. Municipalities across the European Union (EU) use different indicators in this area. Some cities provide per-capita threshold values for urban green space (UGS); some have recommendations regarding the minimum distance to green space while others have no recommendations at all. In this study, we assess green space availability in 299 EU cities according to land use and a population data grid. The results show a diverse picture across the EU. Southern European cities show below-average availability values, which may be explained by their low forest and tree cover and reflect the history of cities in Southern Europe. Comparatively, the above-average availability values in Northern European cities are a result of not only their biophysical conditions and the presence of rich forestland in general but also of Northern European attitudes toward urban living that naturally value having forests close to home. This assessment is complemented by a detailed case study analysis of two European cities – Berlin, Germany and Łódź, Poland. Results showed that this approach's explanatory power depends on the data used, scale of interest, resolution of data and estimated threshold value. By comparing results using different datasets and threshold values, we discuss opportunities and limitations for developing indicators of green space availability. We conclude that UGS availability is an important indicator to navigate urban complexity to improve human health and wellbeing but is only one component of the intricate social-ecological interactions within cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of urban nature and its correlation with socio-economic and cultural conditions of urban dwellers were subject to a multitude of scientific studies in the last years. Nature and green spaces were found important for relaxing, mental restoration, playing sports and physical activities or simply for being outside together with people. Until now, less is known about spatial settings as determinants for green space use in fast growing major agglomerations in the developing world. Comparative case studies from developing countries could help consolidate a general hypothesis that people living in the same spatial setting (e.g. a highly urbanized city) use urban green spaces and prioritize specific green space facilities in a similar way regardless of developed or developing country. This study addresses this hypothesis by using a questionnaire survey for understanding peoples’ use of urban green spaces in Karachi, Pakistan and Ho-Chi-Minh City in Vietnam. Questionnaire surveys identified perception of and activities in urban green spaces in both cities. In Ho-Chi-Minh City 118 questionnaires were valid for analysis. In Karachi 315 questionnaires were analyzed. Our study shows that the main reason for visiting green spaces is walking and spending time with friends and family. This is mostly done in larger groups for picnics. We also show that accessibility of green spaces is a clear driver of their use by residents. Additionally, residents highlighted the need for urban green spaces but criticized their design and that green spaces lack of basic facilities such as benches or toilets in both cities. Results, thus, partly verify the initial hypothesis, because some green space activities and expected facilities are similar and some are different in developed compared to developing countries. The differences may result from cultural or religious influences and help to broaden the knowledge base on the use of urban green spaces in fast growing Asian cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Most areas in Berlin are supplied with more UGS compared to the per capita target value. [•] Dissimilarity in UGS provision by demographics, such as immigrant status and age exists. [•] The UGS Berlin-Tempelhof can provide more than 180,000 inhabitants with 300ha UGS in a catchment area of 1500m. [•] An underuse of Tempelhof by immigrants and older age groups was identified. [•] Efficient UGS planning requires an increased understanding on preferences of UGS that includes cultural contexts and individual perspectives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Prolonged urbanisation has many negative environmental impacts, such as air pollution, noise, and reduced space for recreation. Urban green spaces counteract those impacts and help to maintain the urban quality of life. Numerous case studies have already documented the beneficial functions of such green spaces. However, comparatively little is known about the dynamics of urban green spaces provisioning across a number of cities. We analysed the development of urban green space provision, urban residential area, population and household number in 202 European cities over a time period beginning in 1990 and ending in 2006. We identified an overall increase in urban green spaces from the year 2000 to the year 2006, while the data reported nearly no change between the year 1990 and the year 2000. This increase was mainly in cities in Western and Southern Europe. In contrast, most of the East European cities experienced a decline accompanied by population shrinkage. In addition, urban residential areas continued to increase regardless of population growth or decline. Based on these data, we conclude that a decrease in population does not automatically lead to a decline in residential areas and a subsequent increase in urban green space on a large scale. On a small-scale, however, demolition, de-sealing of soils and brownfield re-use all represent novel opportunities for the enlargement of urban green spaces in shrinking cities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This qualitative study explores the topic of mental health/wellbeing with reference to exposure to urban green space (UGS). It builds on previous research, which has highlighted the potential for green space interaction for supporting positive emotional and mental wellbeing, particularly in times of stress and uncertainty. Using this basis, the paper explores whether UGS interaction also helped to mitigate the negative mental health impacts brought about by the first COVID-19 lockdown. The specific focus is on students and expatriates living in Berlin, Germany as this population groupbecame increasingly vulnerable during this time as a result of uncertainty and restrictions in their daily lives brought about the enforced lockdown measures. More specifically, this paper investigates how a change in their daily routines created opportunities to interact with and experience UGS differently and how their emotional response and perception towards these spaces changed. Semi-structured interviews allowed for stories, experiences and emotions to unfold, which revealed that the participants' gained an appreciation for the potential of UGS to support their wellbeing during a stressful and isolating time. UGS interaction also allowed them to form tangible memories of summer 2020 as it provided a safe arena for them to maintain social contact with friends outdoors, or to escape their home environment and experience respite and relaxation in a natural setting. The findings demonstrate that for this sub-group of the population UGS became a reliable constant and a valuable public health resource, which may also help to mitigate the long-term adverse mental health impacts of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The old tree-rich park was frequently used for experiencing nature. • Female respondents assessed safety significantly less satisfactory than men. • A heat stress summary score indicated higher health-impairment in the new park. • Most respondents stated to use parks during heat waves as frequently as usual in the summer. • Role of parks during heat was related to regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Urbanization, environmental change and ageing are putting urban health at risk. In many cities, heat stress is projected to increase. Urban green spaces are considered as an important resource to strengthen the resilience of city dwellers. We conducted a questionnaire survey in two structurally distinct parks in Leipzig, Germany, on hot summer days in 2019. We assessed the respondents' activity patterns, satisfaction with the existing infrastructure, heat-related health impairment, changes in park use during heat waves and evaluation of the role of parks in coping with heat stress. We found that the old-grown, tree-rich park was used significantly more frequently for experiencing nature, while the newer, less tree-rich park developed on a former railway-brownfield site was used more often for socializing and having BBQs and picnics. Satisfaction with available drinking fountains and public toilets was generally low and satisfaction with lighting was assessed less satisfactory in the old-grown park. Safety was assessed as satisfactory in general but significantly less satisfactory by female respondents. The heat stress summary score indicating heat-related health impairment was significantly higher for participants in the newer park. A high share of respondents stated that they used parks during heat waves as frequently as usual in the summer (46 %), while some respondents stated that they adapted their park use behaviour (18 %), e.g., by coming later in the evening. Regarding the participants' responses about the role of parks under summer heat conditions, we matched 138 statements to several regulating and cultural ecosystem services, and we found cooling and recreation to be mentioned most often. We concluded that green space planning should diminish usage barriers, such as insufficient lighting and insufficient sanitary infrastructure, to ensure equal park use opportunities for all city dwellers. Specific local environmental and sociocultural conditions, changing environments and climate adaptation must be considered. To maintain ecological processes and functions and to cope with climate change, urban planning should preserve older parks with a large amount of tree coverage while respecting demands for particular built infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanisation and global ageing are both accelerating, posing older people's mental and cardiovascular health at risk. A growing number of studies suggests beneficial health effects when having contact with urban green spaces. This study investigates the effects of short-term exposure of older people to different urban green and street environments on physiological and psychological parameters relevant for cardiovascular health. A sample of 33 older men and women (mean age 63.5, standard deviation 4.2) was exposed to a long-standing urban park with widespread and old trees, to a newly developed park with diverse use opportunities and a busy street environment in the inner city of Leipzig, Germany. We measured heart rate variability using continuous ECG monitoring, blood pressure, mood using psychological questionnaires and perceived outcomes of restoration. We found significant decreases in systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure in the long-standing park indicating protective effects on cardiovascular health. Significant decreases in heart rate variability parameters were observed in the dense urban street environment indicating adverse effects on cardiovascular health. Level of naturalness and restoration experience were perceived highest in the old park reflecting common theories of restoration. In the light of these results, visiting urban green spaces should be considered as a valuable preventive measure for promoting cardiovascular health especially in older people. Although physical activity is considered by international recommendations for cardiovascular prevention, the combination with visits of green environments is yet to be implemented. • Older people visited an old urban park, a new park, and a street environment. • Pulse pressure significantly decreased in the tree-covered old park. • Changes in heart rate variability parameters were inconclusive in green environments. • Detrimental changes in cardiovascular physiology were observed in the street environment. • Restoration was highest in green and lowest in street environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An emerging body of evidence has associated natural environments with improved brain development in children; however, these studies have mainly focused on cognition and available evidence for motor development is still scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the protective association of neighbourhood greenspace with motor development deficits in children. We obtained data on motor development deficits (separately for fine and gross motor developments) at sub-district level from routine medical check-up of children prior to enrolment into primary schools in the city of Berlin (2015–2016). Neighbourhood natural environments across the sub-districts were measured with three different metrics: the average of satellite-based normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the share of public green spaces, and the share of both public blue and green spaces (composite nature) across the sub-district. We applied negative binominal models to estimate the association between neighbourhood natural environments and fine and gross motor development deficits (one at a time), controlled for relevant sociodemographic indicators. Higher neighbourhood public green space and composite nature were significantly associated with lower risk of motor development deficits; however, the association were not statistically significant when using NDVI. Our findings, if confirmed by future studies, could provide evidence for implementing targeted interventions to enhance motor development in urban children. • We assessed the association of urban green with children motor development. • Neighbourhood public green space was related with lower motor development deficits. • Composite blue& green space was associated with lower motor development deficits. • Neighbourhood greenness (NDVI) was not associated with motor development deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reurbanisation was identified in European cities since the 1980s. It is a process in which cities stop losing population, stabilise, and regrow. It is however questioned whether reurbanisation represents a long‐term process of urban living or a short‐term stage. Using the city of Leipzig, Germany, we show that reurbanisation has been ongoing over the last 15 years. Reurbanisation has the potential to be a long‐term, consolidated process in Leipzig's inner‐city areas and even spread to other parts of the city creating novel socio‐demographic patterns. The local context—with key importance of the housing market—is crucial for the emergence and course of current urban development processes. Future research should investigate the underpinnings of housing market processes and policies and how they impact residential mobility, socio‐spatial differentiation, and transformation of urban space. Using a flexible selection of indicators, this will enable a comprehensive understanding of the spatio‐temporal dynamics of reurbanising cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]