More green areas in cities ... fewer premature deaths

Laila Ali

New research published by the Lancet Plantity Health magazine found that green spaces make a big difference in terms of mental and physical health, especially for those who live in cities, and emphasized that easy access to nature can prevent premature deaths.

The new research - conducted in the American city of Philadelphia - concluded that planting more trees can save hundreds of lives every year, especially in the poorest areas.

The authors of the study estimate that 403 premature deaths can be avoided each year by ensuring a 30% tree canopy in each neighborhood, and more than half of these lives will be saved in places of less socio-economic status.

"Longer healthy lives,"
said Michelle Condo, a sociologist at the United States Department of Forests and a researcher involved in the study, "While we had long suspected that trees helped us live a longer, healthy life, we have yet to invest in science."

The study is based on a recent analysis by the World Health Organization in which more than 8 million people participated, and found that residential green spaces can protect against premature deaths for all reasons.

A 4% reduction in early mortality can be obtained when plants are 500 meters from the property.

Applying these international data to the local scene for the first time, Condo and her colleagues assessed what the death rate and economic impacts would be if Philadelphia succeeded in achieving its goal of 30% tree coverage.

During the course of the study, the city of Philadelphia contained about 20% of the tree coverage, and over time it lost more green space than it gained.

But if the city is able to increase its green area during the coming years and remove concrete and other surfaces on which plants do not grow, this may have a significant impact.

Even if the city did not achieve its goal of 30% by 2025 and tree coverage increased by only 5% in areas where there are currently no trees, there may be 302 deaths in the city, which is less compared to the annual average.

The authors found that estimating these lives economically translates into saving approximately $ 3 billion.

Poor Cities
Mark Neuenhoeen, Director of the Urban Planning, Environment and Health Initiative at "Isglobal" says, "Although each city has its own different characteristics, this study provides an example for all cities in the world, where many lives can be saved by increasing trees and greening urban environments, even In the humble levels. "

"Green spaces increase biodiversity and reduce the impact of climate change, making our cities more sustainable and more livable," he says.

Although the study does not examine the individual causes of early deaths, the authors of the study suggest that green spaces can contribute to increased social cohesion, reduce stress, more physical activity and reduce heat, and these combined causes lead to a happier and healthier life.

Basically rich neighborhoods get a lot of green space, trees and plants, so it may not be surprising that increased tree coverage has had the greatest health benefits among regions with low socioeconomic status.

For the authors of the study, "urban forest programs seldom achieve a fair distribution of trees across the city," but when done right, urban greening programs can improve public health, reduce inequality, and simultaneously promote environmental justice.