Public Green Spaces Have a Positive Impact on Health and Wellbeing of Urban Communities

Public green spaces have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of various community groups living in cities.

Although studies show that the benefits of these spaces are multifaceted, data published in the Kosovo Municipal Performance Report for 2023 (source: https://mapl.rks-gov.net/.../Raporti-performances...) indicate that there is still a need for further improvements in this area.

The 2023 assessment covered 16 areas of municipal competencies, with a total of 93 indicators. The performance measurement elements reflect the set of rights and responsibilities that municipalities exercise in serving citizens based on their legal mandates. The indicators used provide valuable information on the level of services offered.

According to the Report, the data gathered provide important guidance for municipal management to set priorities in underdeveloped sectors. They help municipalities improve planning and direct their priorities to the areas that need the most attention in the coming years.

Moreover, the system also serves central authorities in planning and directing policies in areas of need, based on real assessments and clear criteria, ensuring a fair and objective distribution of investments.

The report highlights several performance areas that require significant improvement, including Public Spaces.

Under the Public Spaces category, the focus was on public areas that are of interest to citizens, are managed by municipalities, and impact the quality and standard of living of residents.

Overall performance in this area, based on data provided by municipalities, was 51.59%. According to the Law on Local Self-Government, municipalities are responsible, among other duties, for providing and maintaining parks and public spaces.

"The data reported by the municipalities show that only 4 municipalities have achieved the maximum score of 100% in offering this service to their citizens, while for 6 municipalities, the provision of this service remains a challenge and they were therefore rated with a score of 0,” the report states.

The municipalities of Ferizaj, Dragash, Junik, and Suhareka achieved the highest possible performance of 100%. Below the average of 51.59% were municipalities such as Prizren, Mitrovica, Kamenica, Vitia, Fushë Kosova, Peja, Malisheva, Shtime, and Podujeva, while Deçan, Gjilan, Partesh, Prishtina, Shtërpce, and North Mitrovica were rated with a score of 0.

According to a 2022 publication by the European Environment Agency (source: https://www.eea.europa.eu/.../how-green-are-european-cities), green spaces are crucial for citizens’ wellbeing.

The report states that high-quality green areas, such as parks, gardens, and riverbanks, are essential for the health and wellbeing of residents—especially the elderly, children, and low-income groups, as these communities have fewer opportunities for regular contact with nature.

It explains how people use green spaces for physical exercise, social interaction, and mental relaxation. The reported benefits range from reduced childhood obesity to improved cardiovascular health and lower levels of depression in adults.

Additionally, parks, trees, and other green areas help improve air quality, reduce noise pollution, provide cooling during hot days, and support biodiversity in urban areas.

Inequality in access to such spaces exists even across Europe—cities in the north and west tend to have more green spaces compared to those in the south and east.

The World Health Organization recommends that people should live within 300 meters (a 5-minute walk) of green spaces, and that these should be accessible to all community groups (source: https://iris.who.int/.../10665/344116/9789289052498-eng.pdf).

Therefore, EC Ma Ndryshe calls on municipalities in Kosovo—especially those that performed below the average in public space management during 2023—to take concrete steps toward significant improvement in this area, while also implementing best practices.

Based on previous experiences, EC urges municipalities to involve the community both in the design and management of these spaces, in order to meet the needs of different community groups and strengthen the sense of ownership.