A green city refers to an urban setting in which architecture, design, and priorities are centered on the natural world, besides the social, physical, and financial welfare of its inhabitants. This city is stepping ahead of technology, meeting needs of both current residents and posterity. This issue highlights the role of the environment. When green cities are being built, the most important point is the diversity of life, the conservation of species, the quality of air and water, and also the way land is used or misused.
Common features of green cities:
- Community gardens
- Rooftop gardens
- Cycling infrastructure
- LEED-certified buildings made from green concrete
- Renewable and locally sourced wood or recycled plastics
- Zero-emission renewable energy
In many green cities, cars are not allowed. Public transport, cycling, or walking are the main modes of travel.
Green cities benefits:
- Less stress on the population
When applied correctly, urban living would include noise and traffic jams, crowded public transports, and fast-paced lifestyles that should lead to health issues; but most urban cities fail to refer to the psychological needs of people living in these cities. In fact, human needs such as social connections and security are ranked high in sustainable town planning.
- Cleaner air
Pollution has overwhelmed the globe with all the dirt that sits within the space and rains down-asthma, chronic coughs, and even cancer-related health problems in highly populated areas. Some trees can take into account that each tree sucks up 5.4 metric tonnes of CO2 and 20kg dust annually. Greenhouse gases beyond public authorities must reduce their entire emissions but add plants into urban development for all kinds of reasons.
- Diferent types of lighting in cities
To advocate these concerns involving ecology and economy, many authorities reduce unnecessary, disruptive, and energy-wasting lighting at nights. The primary purpose of the shift is to conserve energy and protect ecosystems while ready-to-implement solutions are being made.
- Learning about urban biodiversity
Green town planning provides spaces like insect hotels, educational opportunities for people of every age about plant-animal interactions and environmental protection. It also promotes the greening of schoolyards to sensitize children on these issues.
- Increase in the value of real estate
Demand for more home regarding proximity to parks and gardenland increased: this, UNEP says, properties within 100 meters of green have risen in value by €10,000. This trend, which has not changed after Covid, has been increasing along with that of post pricing for energy-saving homes.
- Better management of run-off water
Absorption capacity of soil is weakened and rainwater is Polluted. Concreting and bad drainage have resulted from improper drainage conditions. Sustainable town planning containment of plant and efficient water management and low treatment costs for cities is achievable.
- Encourage friendships among people
Well-designed green spaces are the best example of how this is done because they provide local people with venues where they can relax, meet, and build trust. Sustainable town planning plays a vital role in the fight against loneliness and making people feel part of something in this increasingly individualistic world.
- Encouraging fitness
As cities become friendly to sport, they become healthier and have better air quality. The design of active lifestyle encourages solo sports; plants and social areas help decrease stress and take care of mental health.
- Local purchasing of food
Green town planning may integrate green spaces with vegetable gardens, utilizing available green space for urban production, even flower beds in city centers can be adapted to grow vegetables and promote local produce.
- Access to inclusion
Employment generation and socialization can be achieved by creating inclusive, paid opportunities for marginalized groups in green spaces. Programs targeting reintegration into society post-prison, assistance to the homeless, and inclusion of persons with disabilities are examples.
- Keeping cool
Sustainable urban planning can reduce the impacts of heat waves by less concrete architecture, more green, and developing new energy systems, producing good solutions against heat pockets inside cities.
- Encouraging green transport and mobility
Green town planning restores the serenity and ecological corridors by redesigning roads, providing alternate transport facilities such as bike lanes, pedestrian paths, and reusing car parking to make cities future-ready in a post-petroleum era; hence, improving everyday travel.
- Expanding place without buildings on natural grounds
Urbanization can be supported with sustainable town planning that chiefly optimizes the scarce downtown space in roof terraces, green facades, and rehabilitation of undeveloped and derelict land areas in cities to integrate them into nature. This is highly imperative as urban density grows and combats urban sprawl and preservation of nature.
Green cities in the world:
- Oslo
- Reykjavík
- San Francisco
- Stockholm
- Copenhagen
- Helsinki
- Sydney
- Vancouver
- Edinburgh
Green cities in Croatia:
- Koprivnica
- Sveta Nedjelja
- Poreč
- Pula
- Prelog
Sources:
Paysalia, https://www.paysalia.com/en/blog/green-city/green-urbanism-benefits
Institute of Sustainability Studies, https://instituteofsustainabilitystudies.com/insights/lexicon/what-is-a-green-city-and-how-is-it-built/
Pametni gradovi, https://pametni-gradovi.eu/sastavnice-pametnog-grada/komunalno-gospodarstvo-poljoprivreda-i-zastita-okolisa/ovo-je-9-najzelenijih-gradova-na-svijetu/
Zbornik radova Veleučilišta u Šibeniku, https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/388974?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Diplomski rad, Bruno Pietri, Primjena i izazovi korištenja digitalnih tehnologija u pametnim gradovima, https://repozitorij.efzg.unizg.hr/islandora/object/efzg%3A13247/datastream/PDF/view?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Pametni gradovi: ključ za održivu urbanizaciju i unapređenje kvalitete život, Velibor Božić, https://www.udruga-gradova.hr/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Pametni-gradovi-klju%C4%8D-za-odr%C5%BEivu-urbanizaciju-i-unapre%C4%91enje-kvalitete-%C5%BEivota-V.-Bo%C5%BEi%C4%87.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Photos:
- https://www.quarkexpeditions.com/blog/25-best-things-to-do-in-reykjavik
- https://www.visit-croatia.hr/hr/destinacije/istra/porec-rivijera
- All others photos: https://www.cleanpng.com/
Author: Petra Vuleta
