Setting the grounds for the Green Infrastructure in the metropolitan areas of Athens and Thessaloniki: the role of green space

Green Infrastructure (G.I.) is a sine qua non in contemporary planning. Green spaces can play a vital role in serving as grounds for developing G.I. and promoting environmental, social and economic benefits. In Athens and Thessaloniki (the only metropolitan areas in Greece) there has been no Green Infrastructure planning. However, existing and prospective green spaces can play a catalyzing role in the development of a Green Infrastructure. In fact, even though inadequate and insufficiently dispersed, urban green spaces present great potentials for embedding the features of “green”, “connectivity”, “multifunctionality” and “accessibility”, which are key to G.I. planning. The concept of Green Infrastructure has long been embedded in policy documents, such as the Master Plans of both metropolitan areas. And even if the G.I. term is not clearly stated in either Master Plans, there is a clear goal for the designing and networking of green spaces, to provide leisure opportunities and other functions, as well as accessibility to all citizens.