text: green spaces has increased52, green spaces often lose out in the competition for land as 
  the share of the population living in urban areas continues to rise. 
  
  This strategy aims to reverse these trends and stop the loss of green urban ecosystems. 
  The promotion of healthy ecosystems, green infrastructure and**nature-based solutions**
  should be systematically integrated into urban planning, including in public spaces, 
  infrastructure, and the design of buildings and their surroundings. 
  
  To bring nature back to cities and reward community action, the Commission calls on 
  European cities of at least 20,000 inhabitants to develop ambitious**Urban Greening**
  **Plans**by the end of 2021. These should include measures to create biodiverse and 
  accessible urban forests, parks and gardens; urban farms; green roofs and walls; tree- 
  lined streets; urban meadows; and urban hedges. They should also help improve 
  connections between green spaces, eliminate the use of pesticides, limit excessive 
  mowing of urban green spaces and other biodiversity harmful practices. Such plans could 
  mobilise policy, regulatory and financial tools. 
  
  To facilitate this work, the Commission will in 2021 set up an**EU Urban Greening**
  **Platform**, under a new ‘Green City Accord’53 with cities and mayors. This will be done 
  in close coordination with the European Covenant of Mayors. The Urban Greening Plans 
  will have a central role in choosing the European Green Capital 2023 and European 
  Green Leaf 2022. 