Half of London becomes green by 2050 thanks to ambitious plans

LONDON, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced plans to transform the British capital into the world's first National Park City.

Khan plans a National Park City Week between July 21 and 29 to celebrate London's natural environment to encourage Londoners to help make the city even greener.

The Mayor's office said Friday that Khan has committed to help make London the world's first National Park City, where more than 50 percent of the city is green by 2050.

Working with the National Park City Foundation and other partners, he aims to declare the capital a National Park City in 2019, and is calling on Londoners and community groups to get involved.

National Park City Week will kick off the school summer vacation with a range of activities across the capital including guided walks, talks, food-growing, community clean-ups and improving spaces for wildlife.

Khan, said: "London boasts an incredible array of green spaces that I want to protect and improve as we aim to become the world's first National Park City. By making our city one of the greenest on earth, we can improve air quality, conserve wildlife and develop a green infrastructure to benefit all Londoners.

"From protecting the greenbelt and taking polluting vehicles off our streets, to providing communities with money to develop new green areas, I am working hard to improve London's environment."

The Mayor's National Park City program will include improvements to London Plan policy to protect and increase green space, and access to it, particularly in areas where it is currently lacking. The program will also help to identify and promote the economic value of London's green infrastructure.

Khan is already funding the planting of thousands more trees and helping London's boroughs invest in the capital's much-loved parks.

"His draft London Plan also highlights the importance of protecting green spaces and creating new, accessible open space, particularly in areas with little access to parks," said a spokesperson for the Mayor's office.

Hong Kong-born environmentalist Judy Ling Wong, who is a National Park City Trustee, has welcomed Khan's initiative.

Wong said: "We are excited to count down to London becoming a National Park City in 2019 by working with the Mayor and others to stage the first National Park City Week in July. It is the perfect excuse to get outside and visit, try, enjoy or learn something new about what London has to offer.

"This first National Park City Week is an open invitation to London's 9 million residents to celebrate our rich urban cultural life, anchored in the nature of our great city," she added. Enditem