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Why Do We Need Urban Safe Green Space?

The SFC "Safe Green Space" project has begun to review the evidence that shows how urban green spaces support us socially, economically, and environmentally.

During the coronavirus lockdown, the extent to which we all truly need green spaces to live happy and healthy lives were brought into stark clarity. Around 56% of the world's population – 4.4 billion inhabitants – live in cities. This trend is expected to continue, with the urban population more than doubling its current size by 2050, at which point nearly 7 of 10 people will live in cities, the importance of understanding the benefits these urban green spaces bring is critical to making smart choices about how we invest in, build and maintain them.

How to know the benefits of creating green space?

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Urban green spaces can help us adapt to the effects of climate change by:

  • Soaking up 30% of annual rainfall

  • Reducing the surrounding air temperature by almost 3oC in the daytime.

Urban green spaces can help restore our natural environment by:

  • Providing habitats and food for a huge range of biodiversity

  • Providing areas of connectivity for wildlife to travel safely in urban environments.

  • Reducing noise pollution at a rate of 4 decibels per m2 of green space

  • Reducing particulate matter in the air by 9% inside a park

  • Filtering 85% of all water pollutants from rainfall and water runoff.

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Urban green spaces can support our health and well-being by:

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proving access to nature influences a huge range of areas such as mental health, stress, general health, all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, physical activity, obesity and cholesterol levels, heart rate and blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, pregnancy outcomes, and the behavioral and cognitive development of children.

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Street at Night

Current project site

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​Kurdistan Region
IRAQ

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Democratic Republic of Congo

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Virginia beach
USA

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Benefits of implementing nature-based solutions

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