A Multi-Criteria Evaluation of Green Spaces in European Cities:

Green spaces, such as parks, are an essential constituent of urban quality of life. It is noteworthy, however, that some cities have been more successful in implementing a green space policy than others. This article aims to assess the complex and heterogeneous supply of urban green spaces by means of a multidimensional evaluation approach, and to compare the `green performance' of European cities in terms of the present situation, priorities in decision making and planning, and their success level as evaluated by experts in the field. The article examines urban green spaces from the viewpoint of relevant indicators, in particular `quantity and availability of urban green spaces', `changes in green spaces', `planning of urban green spaces',`financing of urban green spaces' and `level of performance', on the basis of a comparison of 24 European cities. It deploys a proper type of multi-criteria analysis for mixed quantitative and qualitative information, coined Regime Analysis.A comparison of urban green s...