Happiness in urban green spaces: A systematic literature review

Urban green space is believed to contribute to residents' happiness. However, forming a holistic overview of this relationship based on regional studies is challenging. This review aims to synthesise the current evidence on the urban green space-happiness relationship. A systematic literature search was conducted on the Web of Science and Scopus between 2013 and 2023. A physical or subjective measure of urban green space and a measure of happiness served as the main inclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria for the review were met by a total of 57 studies, which received a meticulous narrative synthesis. The review featured articles from 21 countries. The way to measure and describe happiness varied greatly among the studies. The narrative synthesis reported seven physical measures and six subjective measures of urban green space associated with happiness. Results revealed the improvement in physical measures of urban green space has the possibility to elevate people's happiness. However, the strength of these associations varied depending on subjective measures, socio-demographic vari-ables, and socio-economic factors, particularly in the global south. The contextual nuances of the urban green space-happiness relationship were observed throughout the review. The review highlights the importance of considering the comprehensive impact of urban green space on happiness and calls for further research on the regional scale to design inclusive urban green spaces.