City greenery becomes a luxury for the rich: the study that reveals Europe's "green divide"

They call it the "green divide", and it's already been said: very soon, only the wealthiest will have access to green spaces, and therefore to the well-being that comes with them, while the less well-off will be relegated to gray areas, with inferior services.

Researchers from the European Commission and the University of Copenhagen have described this "green divide" in a study published in Nature Communications. According to their research, less than 15% of people living in the 862 cities studied have adequate access to trees, shade and green spaces. In other words: a tiny minority have easy access to nature and its benefits, both for health and the wallet.

The study also reveals that cities in wealthier north-western Europe are twice as likely to meet the 3-30-300 standards than those in southern and eastern Europe. As a reminder, these "good living" guidelines recommend being able to see at least 3 trees from your home, having a neighborhood with 30% vegetation and living within 300 meters of a park.

The study

The researchers' work highlights a reality that many people already experience on a daily basis: not all neighborhoods are equal when it comes to heat, pollution and the lack of pleasant public spaces. The greenest areas tend to coincide with the most affluent neighborhoods. Conversely, in more fragile, densely urbanized neighborhoods, where the need for trees, shade and parks is greatest, nature is in short supply.

This is where urban greenery ceases to be simply an environmental issue and becomes a social one: having trees close to home makes it easier to withstand episodes of extreme heat, provides meeting places, reduces stress and improves health. Not having any means, on the contrary, being more exposed to the effects of the climate crisis.

The 3-30-300 rule was formulated precisely to make accessible a fundamental principle: greenery must be close, visible and widespread. A truly sustainable city must offer nature, even in the most vulnerable, working-class, outlying neighborhoods.

The most striking finding of the study? The majority of European cities are failing to guarantee equitable access to nature in urban environments. According to the authors, a paradigm shift in urban planning is needed: greenery can no longer be treated as a decorative element or a luxury added as an afterthought; it must become an essential infrastructure, on a par with transport, schools or health services.

If new green developments are concentrated solely in central, tourist or already favored areas, the risk is of accentuating inequalities even further. Conversely, a genuine urban reforestation strategy should start with the areas most exposed to the heat, the most mineralized and those with the least access to public spaces.

The study's message is clear: in European cities, greenery remains all too often a privilege. In the midst of the climate crisis, however, it should be considered a right. For everyone, not just those who can afford to live in the greenest neighborhoods.