Territorial injustice and wellbeing infrastructures: active green space inequalities in left-behind metropolitan districts of Istanbul

Source abstract

This study examines how planning, socio-economic and spatial factors shape inequalities in per capita active green space across Istanbul's metropolitan districts and how these inequalities contribute to territorial injustice and everyday well-being. Well-being research has largely focused on metropolitan centres and aggregate indicators, with limited attention to structurally disadvantaged urban territories. Using updated 2024 institutional data, the study analyses how population density, income level, planned development and distance from the Central Business District (CBD) influence access to active green spaces across Istanbul's 39 districts, using an integrated Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and multiple regression framework. The findings reveal pronounced territorial disparities. The average active green space provision is 5.2 m² per capita, below the WHO's recommended minimum of 9 m². In densely populated and predominantly unplanned districts, such as Esenyurt and Bağcılar, provision falls below 1 m² per capita, while in planned, low-density districts, such as Sarıyer, Beykoz and Başakşehir, it exceeds 10 m². Regression results show that planned development is the strongest positive determinant of green space sufficiency, while increasing distance from the CBD reduces access. Guided by three research questions, the study demonstrates how these factors shape territorial injustice and everyday well-being in a rapidly urbanizing metropolis.