WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Urban Environments Policy and Practice Note 1 Futureproofing urban parks and greenspaces for climate resilience, people and wildlife

Contact with nature is beneficial to physical and mental wellbeing. By 2050 almost 70% of the world’s population will live in towns and cities, remote from wilder natural environments. Nature experience must therefore be provided through access to high quality urban parks and green spaces. The COVID 19 pandemic highlighted the importance of these places for physical recreation and mental escape, particularly for people living in high density housing areas without access to a private garden. Parks and greenspaces also have the potential to enhance plant biodiversity and create valued habitats for urban wildlife including birds and insects. A significant percentage of urban greenspace throughout the world is currently managed as close-mown amenity grass. This is of low biodiversity value, susceptible to ‘summer browning’ and longer-term deterioration due to a poor ‘fit’ with the changing climate. Local authorities and other urban land managers are in a position to address these issues by making changes to greenspace management: delivering climate-resilience whilst supporting human wellbeing and biodiversity