The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) has launched an inquiry to explore the distribution of urban green spaces across society. The inquiry will investigate how urban green spaces can address environmental and health challenges. The government estimates that these spaces provide £6.6 billion in benefits annually, but as population growth and development continue, there is a risk that urban green spaces may substantially decline. The inquiry will focus on the ecological, environmental and human benefits of green space. It will also examine the environmental challenges urban areas face, how green spaces can address them, and explore the most effective solutions to making cities greener and nature-rich.
The Call for evidence is now open until the 20th October 2023 deadline. The committee is seeking views on several key issues:
- Understanding the Government’s role in protecting green spaces, how well the government and local authorities are preserving and expanding urban green spaces, and the trends in their extent and quality.
- Understanding urban areas’ environmental issues and how broader access to green spaces can address these challenges. This includes increased temperatures, flooding risks, air pollution, noise pollution, climate change, pressures on biodiversity and ecosystems, and resource and waste management.
- Understanding the effectiveness of government initiatives like the Green Infrastructure Framework, the Levelling up Parks Fund, and the Urban Tree Challenge Fund in addressing the lack of green space in towns and cities.
- Assessing green cover and whether the government will achieve its goal of increasing green cover to 40% in urban residential areas and what additional measures should be taken
- Assessing access to green spaces and whether access is equally distributed across all sectors of society, whether environmental and health risks disproportionately impact specific groups, and what barriers to access exist
Click here to learn more about the House of Commons, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s Urban Green Space Inquiry and read the Call For Evidence.
Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation released a report “Assessing the value of urban green and blue spaces for health and well-being” produced in collaboration with The University of Exeter’s European Centre for Environment and Human Health and other European bodies. The report highlights the value of nature in the urban environment. The report proves that better quality green and blue spaces positively impact human health and well-being, while poorer quality spaces have adverse outcomes. The report presents methodologies that policy-makers and practitioners can use to assess the value of urban green and blue spaces and their impact on health and well-being.