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Although access to nature is a basic human right, people's actual use of green spaces is subject to inequalities. A Kobe University-led research team analyzed what conditions make it more likely that people are exposed to nature across generations: the availability of green spaces around where they live, work and shop, as well as nature relatedness and past natural experiences.

Their findings, published in the Journal of Environmental Management, may inform policies for urban planning and education for the improvement of human health.

Visiting green spaces is good for people's health, both psychologically and physiologically. However, how often people use green spaces is not equal and has been the topic of discussion in the fields of urban planning and regional governance.

Research has focused mainly on the availability of green spaces around residential areas and the connection with socioeconomic factors.

Kobe University human environmental scientist Uchiyama Yuta explains, "Even though the access to quality natural environments is a basic human right, it tends to be treated as low-priority issue because policy makers think that it can be addressed indirectly through economic growth."

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