"Europe is losing green space that once harboured wildlife, captured carbon and supplied food at the rate of 600 football pitches a day, an investigation by the Guardian and partners has revealed. Analysis of satellite imagery across the UK and mainland Europe over a five-year period shows the speed and scale with which green land is turning grey, consumed by tarmac for roads, bricks and mortar for luxury golf courses and housing developments."
"The cross-border project by the Guardian, Arena for Journalism in Europe (Arena), Nina, the Norwegian broadcaster NRK and other news outlets in 11 countries found that Europe loses about 1,500 sq km (580 sq miles) a year to construction. About 9,000 sq km of land an area the size of Cyprus was turned green to grey between 2018 and 2023, according to the data. That is the equivalent of almost 30 sq km a week, or 600 football pitches a day."
Satellite imagery across the UK and mainland Europe over a five-year period shows 9,000 sq km of green land was converted to built surfaces between 2018 and 2023. That represents about 1,500 sq km a year, roughly 30 sq km a week or 600 football pitches a day. Nature accounted for about 900 sq km of losses per year, while agricultural land lost about 600 sq km per year. Urban expansion and infrastructure development, particularly housing and roads, accounted for a large share of conversions. The losses reduce wildlife habitat, carbon storage and productive cropland, threatening biodiversity, food security and public health.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]