A User‑Friendly Tool to Support Municipal Decision‑Making on Urban Green Spaces and Health

Background

Urban green spaces (UGS) positively influence health, but urban planners often lack practical tools to integrate health into decision‑making. Within the JAPreventNCD framework, a decision‑making tool was developed to assess the health potential of UGS based on four functions: attenuation, restoration, support of individual capacities, and biodiversity support.

Methods

The tool was developed using literature review, key‑informant interviews with experts and professionals from the municipality of Rennes, and a co‑creative process with local stakeholders from health and environmental sectors. A set of indicators was selected to describe each function, combining quantitative data derived from OpenStreetMap and qualitative data collected through questionnaires. Each indicator was classified into three levels (low, medium, high), producing four functions‑specific scores and an additional score related to accessibility and attractiveness.

Results

A web‑based tool was created to assess and visualize the health potential of UGS in Rennes, Turin, and Rybnik, with Stockholm planned for late 2026. Thirty‑one qualitative and quantitative indicators were selected and validated with local stakeholders. Results are displayed through a colour‑coded system for each UGS and function. Initial testing by municipal staff in Rennes led to adjustments to the interface and questionnaire.

Conclusions

The tool provides a comprehensive profile of UGS and their spatial distribution at city scale, offering insights into equity of quality and access. Cross‑country testing planned for the first semester of 2026 will support identification of a transferable version suitable for diverse urban contexts and climates. The tool will be included in the Healthy City toolbox as a deliverable of JAPreventNCD.

Key messages

• The UGS health potential tool aims to translate scientific evidence into practice through a user‑friendly interface for planners and municipal decision-makers.

• Tests across Europe aim to create the most transferable version of the UGS tool.