42%—that’s the potential for increasing urban green-blue cover, according to a Sweco study of 22 cities in Europe.
As cities grow and densify, they tend to lose green-blue areas and biodiversity.
Biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate. This also harms the essential ecosystem services that people rely on. By increasing urban green-blue areas and applying regenerative principles, cities can unlock benefits like increased carbon capture, better air quality, cooler temperatures and enhanced public health.
Regenerative design: How to revitalise urban environments for people and nature
Recent data from the European Environment Agency shows that 81 per cent of protected habitats are in poor condition, with only 9 per cent improving. Urban development often focuses on densification, which poses challenges for maintaining green infrastructure and biodiversity, leaving cities even more exposed to pollution, flooding, heatwaves.
To counteract this trend, Sweco’s experts suggest we shift toward regenerative design—an approach that addresses environmental challenges while integrating environmental health, economic vitality, and social equity. Regenerative principles envision humans as integral components of a larger ecosystem, and they actively seek to enhance the natural and social systems.
A study from Sweco’s report shows that urban green-blue elements in 22 European cities currently cover 133,262 hectares of the built land—equivalent to the size of the Faroe Islands or half of Luxembourg. However, the study shows potential to increase up to 42% (56,290 hectares) in these cities, equivalent to the area of 400 Hyde Parks or 500 Tallinn city centres.
Applying regenerative design principles not only enables these spaces to expand but also creates healthier environments for people and supports more diversity in nature.
Sweco’s new Urban Insight report, “Regenerative neighbourhoods – where people and nature flourish”, outlines key elements for creating regenerative neighbourhoods.
