BRUSSELS — Wealthy Europeans are far more likely to have access to nature than the continent’s low-income residents, a new study mapping green spaces in cities has found.
Less than 15 percent of people living in 862 cities analyzed by European Commission and University of Copenhagen researchers were found to have proper access to trees, shade and green spaces.
Economic differences in urban areas are underscored by a stark “green divide” that exists across Europe, according to the study, which was published in Nature Communications.
Climate change and damaged ecosystems are making urban heat waves more intense, research shows, while air and noise pollution continues to be a problem across the continent. Increasing the number of trees and green spaces in cities could significantly reduce these pressures.
