Global disparities in urban green space use during the COVID-19 pandemic from a systematic review

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted urban resilience and challenged the use of urban green space (UGS). Previous studies lack consensus on whether UGS use increased or decreased during and after lockdowns and how this related to policy, economic conditions and UGS types. In a systematic review, we screened >3,000 articles in 5 languages, identifying 177 articles on UGS use changes in 60 countries. The cities studied show diverging changes in UGS use. Generally, decreases occurred where COVID-19 policies were stricter and the gross domestic product per capita was lower, including in most of the few studied areas of the Global South. All studies on private gardens and 60% on forests and other natural areas showed increases, while 77% of studies conducted on public parks indicated decreased use. The global disparity in UGS use was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the need to enhance green infrastructure for healthy cities and to extend it beyond public parks.