Gothenburg Sees Largest Nordic Loss of Urban Greenery Amid Global Decline

Gothenburg experienced a significant loss of urban green space, with 384,000 square meters disappearing in just one year, the highest in the Nordic region according to a recent study by Husqvarna. This corresponds to about 54 football fields and marks a 2% decrease in green areas since 2020, primarily attributed to urban development in the forested area of Torslanda. Husqvarna's study, which used AI and satellite data to assess greenery across 516 cities worldwide, found a global loss of 95 million square meters of urban greenery, equivalent to 13,000 football fields. Over half of this reduction occurred in 18 major Chinese cities, while European cities like Gothenburg are undergoing slower but notable changes. The study highlights Uppsala as the greenest city in Sweden with 56% greenery, followed by Linköping and Örebro; Malmö is noted as the only Swedish city not losing green space. Erik Swan, the report's author, stressed the importance of urban greenery for mitigating flooding, supporting biodiversity, and enhancing residents' well-being. Swan described the report as a “bank statement” for urban greenery, intended to track what has been lost and advocate for better recognition and protection of green spaces at the local level in Gothenburg and beyond.