Pursuing more equitable access to urban green spaces

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the challenges of achieving equitable access to urban green spaces in low- and middle-income countries, with a focus on informal settlements. It argues that top-down planning often fails to meet the specific needs of marginalized populations and advocates for community-led, inclusive governance to improve public health and environmental resilience.

• Lower-income and marginalized urban communities, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income countries with rapid growth and informal settlements, frequently have limited access to quality urban green spaces and their associated benefits.
• The priorities for urban green space amenities in lower-income areas often differ from those in higher-income areas, with a higher demand for provisioning services such as food, medicine, and wood for energy.
• Access to urban green spaces is often socially determined by factors including income, ethnicity, race, age, gender, and disability, creating environmental justice issues that impact public health.
• Poorly managed green spaces can create negative perceptions and safety concerns, particularly for women who may fear becoming victims of crime.
• Community-led initiatives and participatory processes can improve the design and management of green spaces, but they face barriers such as limited public authority resources, land-use conflicts, and tensions between local leaders and external NGOs.
• In the Kaptembwa area of Nakuru, Kenya, community-led management of the river is hindered by unclear responsibilities among various government agencies, financing shortfalls, and systemic issues like high unemployment and inadequate waste infrastructure.

APA

Tuhkanen, H., Archer, D., Pateman, R., & Sitati, C. (2025). Pursuing more equitable access to urban green spaces. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/pursuing-more-equitable-access-to-green-spaces.pdf

Chicago

Tuhkanen, Heidi, Diane Archer, Rachel Pateman, and Cynthia Sitati. Pursuing more equitable access to urban green spaces. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2025. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/pursuing-more-equitable-access-to-green-spaces.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tuhkanen |first1=Heidi |last2=Archer |first2=Diane |last3=Pateman |first3=Rachel |last4=Sitati |first4=Cynthia |title=Pursuing more equitable access to urban green spaces |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=January 2025 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/pursuing-more-equitable-access-to-green-spaces.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tuhkanen2025pursuing, author = {Tuhkanen, Heidi and Archer, Diane and Pateman, Rachel and Sitati, Cynthia}, title = {{Pursuing more equitable access to urban green spaces}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2025}, month = jan, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/pursuing-more-equitable-access-to-green-spaces.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }