Seoul's green space inequality creates 'climate disparities'

Seoul's green spaces are starkly unevenly distributed, with the wealthiest districts boasting up to 15 times more parkland per capita than the poorest, according to a new analysis. This disparity directly impacts the urban environment, contributing to significant temperature differences across the city, with some areas experiencing surface temperatures nearly 5 degrees Celsius hotter than others.

The study, conducted by Greenpeace Seoul, utilized geographic information systems (GIS) and satellite data to map green space coverage and accessibility in Seoul's 25 autonomous districts. While the city's total green space covers 176.4 square kilometers, averaging about 18.3 square meters per person, the distribution is highly skewed. Seocho District has the largest total green area at 19.6 square kilometers, over 15 times more than Dongdaemun District's 1.3 square kilometers. On a per capita basis, Jongno District leads with 75.61 square meters, dwarfing Dongdaemun District's 3.61 square meters.

Accessibility to green spaces also falls short for many Seoul residents. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends green space access within 300 meters of residential areas to mitigate urban heat. Based on this standard, approximately 245,000 Seoul residents lack adequate access. If this threshold is lowered to 100 meters, the number of affected residents rises dramatically to 4.2 million.

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Urban green spaces are crucial for climate adaptation, necessitating the expansion of parks and protection of natural forests within cities.

The research further confirmed a strong correlation between green space and surface temperature. Analysis of data from June 18 and August 29, 2024, showed that for every additional square kilometer of green space, surface temperatures decreased by approximately 0.23 to 0.25 degrees Celsius. Dongdaemun District, with the least green space, recorded the highest surface temperatures at 43.0 and 42.7 degrees Celsius on those days. In contrast, Seocho District, with the most green space, saw temperatures of 37.8 and 38.1 degrees Celsius, a difference of about 5 degrees.

"Urban green spaces are crucial for climate adaptation, necessitating the expansion of parks and protection of natural forests within cities," stated Shin Min-ju, a Greenpeace campaigner. "We must prioritize areas lacking green space and allocate tax funds towards expanding these vital urban resources."

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We must prioritize areas lacking green space and allocate tax funds towards expanding these vital urban resources.