More green in the city to prevent disasters

Restoring nature is also an imperative in cities according to the new EU regulation. With more greenery and less artificial light in the National Plans that governments will have to send to Brussels. By 31 December 2030, the Twenty-Seven will have to ensure "that there is no net loss of the total national surface area of urban green spaces or of urban tree canopy cover", while from 1 January 2031 a further leap forward will be needed with an increase in the total national surface area of urban green spaces, including through the integration of green elements in buildings and infrastructure, such as green roofs and walls.

Increasing plant cover in the city slows down water runoff, reduces the risk of river pollution due to overflows caused by heavy rainfall and helps to contain summer temperatures, strengthening climate resilience. Not only that. When preparing national plans, Brussels calls on states to "consider halting or reducing light pollution in all ecosystems or remedying it", because artificial light has a negative impact on biodiversity and can affect human health.