GCSE Geography | Urban Greening in London (UK City Study: London 8)

London has a population of just over 9 million people - high population growth has resulted in high levels of road traffic emissions, which contribute significantly to air pollution, particularly nitrogen oxides (NO2). The dense road network leads to congestion and the city's tall buildings trap polluted air between them. Central London has a worse pollution record than most other European cities and regularly breaks European Union (EU) regulations on air quality - exceeding the limit of 40 mg/m3 for NO2. You can see this on the map below.

Air pollution has an impact on public health with potential for respiratory issues and premature deaths - it is estimated that there are more than 4,000 deaths a year in London due to long-term exposure to air pollution. One way to try to reduce air pollution is through urban greening.

Urban greening - the process of incorporating green spaces and elements such as trees, parks and green roofs into urban environments to improve the relationship between cities and their inhabitants, and to create more sustainable, liveable and cooler urban environments.

London is one of Europe's greenest cities - and has a goal of making half of the city green by 2050. It is already has around 47.5% green space, such as the 8 extensive royal parks in central London, including Hyde Park, Regents Park and St James' Park, as well as the 3000 municipal parks that are looked after by local councils across Greater London.

There was a huge push to improve access to green space in the 19th century in the hope that public health would improve if people had places to go where they could get fresh air. Access to green space improved further throughout the 20th century as urban sprawl saw London spread out into the suburbs - where farmland was sold and used to build housing developments with gardens incorporated. Many new developments springing up across London include green roofs and living walls (such as the Palace Hotel living wall - pictured below). London has more green roofs than any other city in Europe.

In July 2019 London was designated the world's first National Park City in recognition of its number of open spaces, waterways and natural environments.

Eco park at Canary Wharf

Currently there are more than 50 projects in place to make London even greener, including the eco park at Canary Wharf, which includes...

• Eden Dock - a waterfront area reimagined in partnership with the Eden Project (in Cornwall), offering a tranquil space with aquatic habitats, boardwalks, and lush plantings, enhancing biodiversity and city living
• Jubilee Park - a tree-filled open space with cascading water features, designed for tranquillity and relaxation (pictured below)
• Columbus Courtyard - a paved area with mature trees, benches, summer blooms, and artworks
• Crossrail Place Roof Garden - one of London's largest roof gardens with exotic plants, benches, and an amphitheatre
• Bank Street Park - a popular location for pop-up events and activities, including basketball and padel courts
• Water Pavilion - a floating pavilion designed using sustainably sourced timbers, providing a place to eat and drink outdoors
• Open Spaces - Canary Wharf has 16.5 acres of landscaped parks, gardens, and squares, with trees, shrubs, and seasonal plants

The benefits of urban greening

There are numerous benefits to urban greening in London...

Reduces urban heat island effect -

• Shading - trees and plants intercept and block solar radiation, preventing it from reaching the ground and buildings, thus reducing surface and air temperatures
• Evapotranspiration - plants release water vapor into the atmosphere through transpiration, which requires energy (heat) to evaporate, thereby cooling the surrounding air
• Airflow modification - vegetation can act as windbreaks, reducing wind speeds and moderating temperatures, while also promoting natural ventilation and drawing cooler air from green areas into warmer urban areas

Improved air quality - green roofs and living walls help to filter out polluting emissions - they are often used along the fences of schools that are situated on busy roads, to improve air quality on playgrounds. Trees and large shrubs are also planted along busy roads for the same reason, as well as reducing noise from traffic.

Reduced risk of flooding - having lots of green space in London reduces the amount of impermeable surfaces such as tarmac and concrete - this means that infiltration rates increase so there is less surface run-off. Trees also intercept rainfall and take up water through root uptake, which also reduces the risk of flooding.

Increased biodiversity - green spaces throughout London provide important wildlife habitats - London has high levels of biodiversity across its woodlands, rivers and canals, churchyards, etc.

Recreation facilities - many people living in London live in apartments without access to their own gardens therefore having access to city parks is really important for being able to get outside for their physical and mental well-being, for example, walking their dogs, running and cycling. The city parks also provide base for many community activities, such as team sports, boosting health further.

Boost to the economy - the main parks across London attract hundreds and thousands of visitors every day and are an important tourist attraction. They have cafes which bring in significant income, you can pay to hire boats on the Serpentine in Regents Park and Hyde Park is often used for huge outdoor concerts, which all bring money into the local economy and create job opportunities. Proximity to London's parks will also increase property values.

Food supply - urban farming has increased in recent years in London - there are over 30,000 allotments which people can use their own food, as well as community gardens and city farms..

• Community gardens - London has a large number of community gardens, with some boroughs having a high concentration, like Hackney with over 150 (like the own pictured below)
• City farms - London also has 12 city farms that are educational green spaces, connecting city people with farming and the natural environment
• Community Gardens Program - this offers access to 21 community gardens, providing space for over 500 gardeners