Measuring green infrastructure demand: the ESPON-GILL methodology is now available
Cities are under growing pressure to address biodiversity loss, extreme heat, flooding, air pollution and unequal access to green spaces. Yet decisions about where to protect, improve or introduce green infrastructure are not always supported by consistent local evidence.
This need is becoming more urgent as the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Nature Restoration Regulation place greater emphasis on restoring urban ecosystems. National Restoration Plans and Urban Nature Plans will require cities to connect ambitious objectives with locally targeted and measurable interventions.
The ESPON-GILL project responds to this challenge with a practical methodology for understanding the distribution of urban nature, assessing the demand for the ecosystem services it provides, and identifying where further green infrastructure is most needed. It was developed as part of the Greening Cities Partnership Action Plan.
Why cities need to quantify demand, not only supply
Many municipalities already hold information about their parks, trees, forests, waterways or other green and blue spaces. However, knowing where green infrastructure exists does not necessarily reveal whether it responds effectively to local environmental and social needs.
Demand may be shaped by exposure to heat or flooding, poor air quality, limited access to public green space, ecological fragmentation or other place-specific challenges. These pressures are not distributed evenly across an urban area.
By identifying both existing provision and unmet demand, cities can better understand where interventions are most urgent. This evidence can support cooperation between planning, environment, public works and finance departments, while helping municipalities justify investment priorities and strengthen applications for national and EU funding.
A six-module pathway from local goals to planning action
The ESPON-GILL Methodology provides a structured pathway that connects local policy objectives with spatial analysis and practical planning decisions.
Its six modules guide municipalities through the definition of local goals and baseline conditions; the mapping of green infrastructure demand; the assessment of existing green infrastructure and ecosystem-service provision; the identification of unmet demand; the mapping and prioritisation of deployment opportunities; and, finally, the integration of proposed interventions into local planning instruments.
The methodology is modular rather than prescriptive. Municipalities can follow the complete sequence or use individual modules according to their policy priorities, available data, previous work and technical capacity.
This flexibility allows the approach to be used by municipalities operating in very different territorial, institutional and data contexts. It is intended to support local authorities in moving from general greening ambitions towards clearly evidenced and spatially targeted action.
An interactive manual designed for practical use
The methodology is supported by an interactive ESPON-GILL User Manual, developed within the ESPON Portal for urban planners, municipal officials, local planning agencies and environmental managers.
Rather than functioning as a conventional static report, the manual brings the methodology, practical instructions and supporting resources into one accessible digital environment. Users can follow the process step by step or move directly to the modules and actions most relevant to their needs.
The manual includes introductory guidance, key terminology, a green infrastructure typology, methodological steps, data requirements and links to technical annexes. It also connects users directly with the case-study reports and dashboards, enabling them to move between methodological guidance and practical examples.
Tested across six European territories
The methodology was co-developed and tested in six territories representing different planning systems, urban conditions, policy priorities and levels of data availability: Imola in Italy, Jastrebarsko in Croatia, Roeselare in Belgium, Sopot in Poland, Tampere in Finland and Târgu Mureș in Romania.
The pilots explored a diverse range of local challenges, including heat stress, flooding and flash floods, air pollution, landslide risk and access to public green infrastructure. They tested different methods for mapping green infrastructure, assessing ecosystem services and identifying priority locations for intervention.
Local knowledge and repeated exchanges with the participating territories were central to refining the methodology. The case studies helped demonstrate that a shared framework can remain transferable while still being adapted to different local priorities and available resources.
The accompanying dashboard presents key maps and interpretations from the six territories, offering practical and visual examples of how the methodology can be applied.
Supporting stronger planning and investment decisions
ESPON-GILL is more than a mapping exercise. It provides a bridge between environmental evidence, local policy objectives and implementation.
By linking urban challenges with green infrastructure and ecosystem services, the methodology can support the preparation or revision of Urban Nature Plans and equivalent greening, biodiversity, climate-adaptation and spatial-planning strategies.
It can also help cities contribute evidence to National Restoration Plans and strengthen local implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation. Clearer information about unmet demand and priority areas can make investment decisions more transparent and help municipalities demonstrate why specific projects are needed.
The shared objective is to move beyond isolated greening projects towards a more systematic approach in which green infrastructure is planned as essential urban infrastructure: targeted where it can respond most effectively to climate, biodiversity and community needs.
Next steps
The Greening Cities Partnership will promote the uptake of ESPON-GILL among cities, Member States and EU-level stakeholders during its final implementation phase. The methodology can also contribute to European Urban Initiative capacity-building activities on the Nature Restoration Regulation, helping urban authorities move from general awareness towards locally grounded implementation.
Further application by municipalities can expand the evidence base, generate additional case studies and support the continued refinement of methods and data. By making the methodology, interactive manual and case-study results publicly available, ESPON-GILL offers cities a practical starting point for integrating green infrastructure demand into planning, funding and long-term urban nature strategies.