“Nature is an under-recognised healer”

A new report by the Institute for European environment policy (IEEP) concluded there was a strong link between health & wellbeing and green spaces. A team of 11 researchers spent one year reviewing over 200 academic studies, the largest study yet into the changing aspects of health, nature and wellbeing.

The report showed that pregnant women were seen to receive a significant health boost including lower blood pressure and giving birth to larger babies from living in a greener environment. Middle aged Scottish men who lived in deprived yet grassy areas were also seen to benefit and research found that the risk of death was 16% lower than those that lived in more built-up areas.

The report analysed several studies that illustrated access to nature to be inextricably linked to wealth inequality, due to deprived communities having fewer green spaces within reach. Nature plays a crucial role in our lives so it is vital everyone has access to it.

IEEP Head of Green Economy programme and director of the Brussels office Patrick ten Brink praised European Oslo for making the steps to make nature accessible for everyone. Further going on to say “We should be inspired by this and work together so that everyone has access to nature”