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A study in The Lancet Planetary Health ranks European cities with the highest and lowest rates of mortality attributable to lack of green space.
Researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) analysed cities in 31 European countries, and concluded that up to 43,000 premature deaths could be prevented each year if these cities were to achieve the WHO recommendation that there should be a green space measuring at least 0.5 hectares at a distance of no more than 300 m from every home.
The study used the indicator Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The team obtained data from 2015 on natural-cause mortality and green space levels for each city. Using existing data on the association between green space and mortality, they estimated the number of deaths from natural causes that could be prevented if each city were to comply with WHO recommendations.
The study found that over 60% of the population has insufficient access to green space. This lack of green space is associated with 42,968 deaths, which could be prevented through compliance with the WHO recommendations, the authors said.
Source: Barcelona Institute for Global Health
