Healthy landscapes: green, regeneration, safety

For the first time in history more than half the world’s population resides in cities, a proportion that is expected to increase to 66 per cent by 2050. While, on the one hand, rural areas are under pressure due to the growth of urban areas, on the other hand, the demand for urban green areas is increasing, as recommended in the international strategic program ‘Healthy Cities’ of the World Health Organization. Prevention and safety in our living environment are the new basis for actions, policies, and projects aimed at promoting landscape quality and urban regeneration. Green areas play a crucial role for the healthiness of urban and periurban areas, reducing the heat island effect and improving the resilience to heat waves, mitigating soil, air and water pollution, thus playing a key role in environmental regeneration. Moreover, green systems are crucial to enhance ecosystem services and improve the ecological value, also in rural environments. Design and management of open spaces and green areas, urban agriculture and urban forestry are closely related with sustainability, in terms of healthiness of urban areas and countryside, green regeneration and requalification of degraded areas, mobility and smart cities, carbon footprint reduction, energy and resource sustainability, also in a circular economy perspective, and social inclusion and recovery promotion.