MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 06: People run and walk their dogs during the non competitive “Arcaplanet Dog … [+] Run” at CityLife district on April 06, 2024 in Milan, Italy. The goal of the dog-friendly race was to raise funds to develop a guide dogs project. (Photo by Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)
City leaders and planners have been urged to put health at the heart of urban development in a new report.
The new edition of the Healthy and Climate-Resilient Cities report by Bupa, C40 Cities and the Norman Foster Foundation looks at how stakeholders can create health-centred and climate resilient urban environments.
It argues city leaders and urban designers of the future will need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to protect the population from the devastating impacts of climate change.
In order to achieve this, the report calls for city leaders to prioritise health-focused urban design.
This includes seeing health as the foundation for equitable and just climate-resilient city planning.
And accelerating adaptation efforts that will build city resilience and health resilience to climate change.
“City-dwellers are likely to face some of the worst consequences of the climate crisis, such as air pollution largely from fossil fuel combustion, extreme heat, water scarcity, heavy rainfall and flooding,” the report states.
“They also typically experience a lack of nature and green space.”
The report also outlines the support that future city leaders and urban designers need to realise this new model of cities.
This includes support to develop detailed methodologies that calculate impact, cost-benefits and return of investment of health-focused urban interventions.
The study also says they will need training on how to assess community needs and engage with those using spaces to encourage active mobility, create vibrant social public spaces and mixed-use land areas.
It also calls for more in-depth insights and examples of how healthcare works and can play an active role in driving preventative health interventions.
According to previous study by the C40 Cities group, more than 1.6 billion city residents will face extreme heat in 30 year’s time, and 800 million will be at risk from flooding.
In addition, the European Union’s climate monitoring body recently said it was “virtually certain” 2024 will be the planet’s hottest year on record.
The renowned architect and president of the Norman Foster Foundation, Norman Foster said by a “holistic approach to urban interventions” can lead to more vibrant cities and “drive meaningful progress towards our global climate goals” in a statement.
“ The report underscores the critical importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together knowledge and innovation to address the complex challenges of modern urban living,” added Foster.
The report coincides with the end of the first year of the Norman Foster Institute’s Sustainable Cities Master’s programme, where post-graduate students engage in one year of practical learning to help them to create sustainable, healthy and climate-resilient urban environments.
As the health partner of the programme, Bupa convened leading cross-sectoral experts, including public and urban health specialists to discuss with the students how to prioritise health-focused urban design.
The exchange between cross-sectoral experts and students forms the basis of this report.
“Our approach to health must be woven into the fabric of our cities, support healthier lifestyles for citizens and improve accessibility to healthcare for more people through digital solutions,” said Bupa’s chief sustainability and people officer, Nigel Sullivan in a statement.
“This report reinforces our commitment to upskilling the leaders of tomorrow so that they create urban environments that foster healthier lives and harness technology to meet demand in ways that are sustainable and equitable for all.”
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