Urban Green Space Continues to Decline Globally- Nordic Region Emerges as a Green Hub
STOCKHOLM, Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Husqvarna Group today presents the Urban Green Space Insights (HUGSI) Report 2025, which uses AI and satellite data to measure green spaces in cities worldwide. The report reveals that the 516 cities analyzed have lost green areas equivalent to nearly the size of Paris. In contrast, the Nordic region stands out as a green hub, hosting some of the greenest cities globally.
Since 2019, Husqvarna Group's HUGSI has provided objective data on urban green space development. HUGSI's tools are used in international research and serve as a foundation for city planning decisions. This year, a total of 516 cities in 80 countries on six continents have been analyzed on each city's greenest day of the year, offering valuable insights into how urban greenery has evolved over time.
The analyzed cities range from 5,000 inhabitants in Netherlands to mega cities like Chongqing in China with over 30 million inhabitants. The average green coverage ranges from 25% in South & West Asia to 46% in Europe. For instance, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), has only 1% green coverage, while several European cities boast more than 60% of greenery.
"As urbanization accelerates, understanding how green spaces change is essential for creating sustainable, livable cities. Active development of urban greenery should always be a priority when planning public infrastructure," says Erik Swan, green space specialist and project manager for HUGSI at Husqvarna Group.
Global Trend: Loss of Green Space Equivalent to Paris
Between 2023 and 2024, the analyzed cities recorded a loss of 95 million m² of green space – almost the size of Paris – primarily due to human activities such as construction and urban expansion. Among the analyzed cities, 73% show a negative development. On the positive side, 45 million m² of new or improved green space was added, mostly through expanded grass cover, likely driven by weather conditions and other passive factors rather than active greening efforts.
Cities in the Northern Hemisphere generally have more green space than those in the Southern Hemisphere. Europe maintains the highest average share of urban greenery globally at 46%. Despite this, the net change in 418 European cities is negative: 17 million m² gained versus more than 30 million m² lost, resulting in a net loss of 13.3 million m² – equivalent to over 1,800 football fields. Among European cities, Aarhus (Denmark), Sunderland (UK) and Chisinau (Moldova) show significant increases. Vilnius again tops the list of European capitals with 61% green space, 226 m² per capita, and 47% tree canopy cover.
Nordic Region: A Global Green Leader
The Nordic cities stand out with an impressive 49% share of urban green space (compared to Europe's 46%), meaning nearly half of the urban land area in the 40 largest Nordic cities is covered by vegetation – trees, grass and shrubs. The region also shows lower green space loss than Europe overall, with a net decrease of 385,000 m². Vejle in Denmark is the greenest Nordic city (58% green space), followed by Uppsala and Linköping in Sweden. Aarhus leads Europe in net positive change, adding almost 1,2 million m² of greenery. The Nordics also shine globally with an average urban tree canopy cover of 35%. Finland ranks highest at 44%, while Denmark has fewer urban trees (24%) but some of the greenest cities overall with 48% green space.
"Green spaces are the lungs of the city. Trees play a vital role in urban environments – they reduce temperatures through shade, improve air quality, support biodiversity and contribute to the mental and physical wellbeing of city residents", adds Erik Swan.
To learn more about the methodology and the results, please find the reports here:
Nordic Top 40 Green Cities 2025
Key Facts from HUGSI 2025
Average urban green space by region:
Europe: 46%
Nordics: 49%
Central East Asia: 39%
North America: 37%
Africa: 30%
Latin America: 29%
East & Southeast Asia and Oceania: 27%
South & West Asia: 25%
Loss of green space:
Globally: 95 million m²
Europe: 13.3 million m²
Nordics: 385,000 m²
Tree canopy cover in Nordic cities (average 35%):
Finland: 44%
Sweden: 36%
Norway: 33%
Denmark: 24%
For additional information, please contact:
Media
Henrik Sjöström, Head of External Communication
+46 727 - 15 77 85
[email protected]
For questions related to HUGSI
Erik Swan, Green space specialist and project manager for HUGSI
[email protected]
About the report
Husqvarna Urban Green Space Insights (HUGSI) is a service from Husqvarna quantifying urban green space in global cities using AI and satellite data. This report aggregates multiple data points captured in 2023 and 2024 to produce the Urban Green Space Report 2025. Satellite image data is acquired from the Copernicus project, and it has been modified to establish this report. Credit "Husqvarna Urban Green Space Report 2025". Please visit HUGSI.green for more information and specific details about identified cities.
Husqvarna Group
Husqvarna Group is a global leader in innovative solutions for managing forests, parks, and gardens, as well as equipment and diamond tools for the construction industry. With an innovative mindset, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality solutions ranging from robotic mowers to chainsaws, watering systems and power cutters, with a strong focus on our customers and future generations. Founded in the Swedish town Huskvarna in 1689, we have been pioneers in our business for more than three centuries. Today, we are mainly operating under the global Husqvarna and Gardena brands, serving consumers and professionals in over 100 countries through direct sales, dealers, and retailers. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Husqvarna Group employs approximately 12,300 people in 40 countries and reported net sales of SEK 48.4 billion in 2024. Husqvarna Group is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
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SOURCE Husqvarna Group
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