A new SELINA-supported scientific article, “Temporal and spatial patterns of the Sealed-to-Artificial area Ratio in European urban areas”, co-authored by Silvia Frezzi and researchers from the University of Trento’s PLANES Lab, has been published in Land Use Policy.

As Europe works towards no net land take and no net soil sealing, this study examines the relationship between these processes across 661 Functional Urban Areas in the EU and the UK. It introduces the Sealed-to-Artificial area Ratio (SAR) to track spatial and temporal patterns between 2012 and 2018.

The results show an overall decrease in SAR, with regional differences, and highlight how landscape composition and urban form influence these patterns, providing insights to support urban planning and European policy targets.