Healthy Cities: from planning to action

The Planning Authority is participating in an EU-funded project bearing the title Healthy Cities: from Planning to Action

Promoting health requires a cross-sectional, cross-sectorial policy approach, beyond the assistance of health systems
Promoting health requires a cross-sectional, cross-sectorial policy approach, beyond the assistance of health systems
SHARE

The Planning Authority is participating in an EU-funded project bearing the title Healthy Cities: from Planning to Action. This project was submitted under the URBACT strand of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and consists of Phase I, termed as the Action Planning Network.  This collaboration with nine other entities across Europe will result in the submission of an application for a Phase II URBACT proposal, with the same theme.

The main objectives to this network of cities consist of deepening the relationship between health and the urban environment; developing policies that focus on the improvement of the health status of the population; as well as developing a rigorous health impact assessment of these policies.

Cities may consider actions from different points of view and through different policies, but the global health perspective will provide a common framework and will allow sharing methodologies.

Promoting health requires a cross-sectional, cross-sectorial policy approach, beyond the assistance of health systems. Health, encompassing physical, social and environmental health, should be a transversal objective and a common thread of all city policies, and all local policies should be refocused on their effect on the citizens’ health. This means that the air quality, green areas, physical activity, noise, social relations, are all factors to be taken into account when planning the development of the cities we want.

At the same time, health and wellbeing should also be seen as an independent variable for city development: good health gives us the freedom to live a better quality of life, while illness and poor health limit our possibilities.

This makes health an important resource to promote opportunities, social equity and liveability, economic resilience and environmental and social sustainability of cities. Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all people of all ages, therefore, become an essential resource to achieve sustainable development, healthy economies and for building prosperous societies.

The challenge of the 21st century cities is to understand health in its broadest sense, taking into account physical health, but also from a social and environmental point of view
The challenge of the 21st century cities is to understand health in its broadest sense, taking into account physical health, but also from a social and environmental point of view

Beyond the logical conclusion that people live in cities because of the employment and educational opportunities, the services, social interaction and cultural activities they offer, this project is built on the assumption that cities can also become places that foster health and wellbeing.

While the impact of healthy lifestyles seems obvious, it is a challenge to clearly quantify it. Here, “HEALTHY CITIES” intends to develop, exchange and test knowledge on methodologies for Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and the definition of monitoring indicators are called upon to become a key element in the planning of our cities. These problems are particularly relevant to Europe where it is expected that the urban population will be 80% by 2050.

Urban planning is a key element in the definition of the city model, and it has a direct influence on promoting a healthy lifestyle. The scientific studies indicate that urban planning can affect various urban determinants which have a direct impact on Health Indicators, but despite this evidence, it is not always easy to connect this knowledge with the specific policies promoted by the city. Moreover, there is a difficulty in evaluating the effectiveness of actions proposed at the urban level in terms of health.

Methodologies for Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and the definition of monitoring indicators are called upon to become a key element in the planning of our cities.

The challenge of the 21st-century cities is to understand health in its broadest sense, taking into account physical health, but also from a social and environmental point of view, and to integrate health as a transversal objective of all policies, with a cross-sectorial approach strategy around wellbeing on a city scale.

To place people’s Health as the epicentre of Urban Planning means re-thinking all the policies and strategies placing the focus on the effect they will have on the health of citizens. But mainly, it is about incorporating a vision of health that is built from a holistic and transversal point of view: physical health, social health and environmental health. The healthy city is also the consequence of a sustainable city.

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all people at all ages is an essential resource in order to achieve sustainable development, healthy economies and to build prosperous societies. Promoting health can only be achieved by addressing the multi-faceted determinants of health including the creation of healthy urban environments.

More in People