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urban development
Better urban design could create healthier cities A new series published in The Lancet, led by the University of Melbourne and featuring authors from leading global academic institutions, quantifies for the first time the health outcomes that could be gained through changes to urban design and the transport system.
T
he three-paper series,
available through changes to city planning
is based on a 30% increase in land-use
launched at an event host-
and transport modal shift. “By quantifying
density, a 30% reduction in distance
ed by the United Nations
the need for integrated city planning and its
from public transport, a 30% increase
Sustainable Development
focus around modal choice for cities,” he
in diversity of land use and a 10% shift
Society Network in New
said, “[the research] emphasises the need
away from private vehicle use.
York, compares six global
for sustainable transport that will deliver
cities with a variety of livability indexes.
health gains for the future.”
“Adopting the compact cities model, that places an emphasis on active transport,
Cites examined include Melbourne, London,
The first paper of the series, led by
provides a huge reduction in chronic
Boston, Delhi, Sao Paulo and Copenhagen.
Professor Billie Giles-Corti, identifies eight
diseases burden, particularly respiratory
With the world’s population estimated to
integrated interventions that, when com-
and cardiovascular disease and Type 2
reach 10 billion by 2050, with 75% living in
bined, encourage walking, cycling and public
diabetes,” Professor Stevenson said. “The
cities, city planning is now being recognised
transport use while reducing private motor
provision of safe infrastructure for active
as a part of a comprehensive solution to
vehicle use. These include having services
transport also reduces road trauma and
tackling adverse health outcomes. The series
and facilities within walking distance, a mix
transport-related particulate emissions.”
unravels the intersection of urban design,
of employment and housing across the city,
For Melbourne, this would result in
transport and population health outcomes
reducing the availability and increasing the
improved health outcomes, with a 14%
to provide a paradigm shift for approaches
cost of parking, infrastructure that supports
reduction in Type 2 diabetes and a 19%
to tackle the growing burden of chronic
safe walking and bicycling, open spaces,
reduction in cardiovascular disease, re-
disease and road trauma in cities.
reducing distance to public transport and
sulting in 622 healthy years of life gained
making neighborhoods safe, attractive and
for 100,000 residents.
The authors identify the health gains that could be achieved if cities encouraged
convenient for public transport.
The final paper in series focuses on
a modal shift from private motor vehicle
“We concluded that focusing on walking
how data can guide city-planning policy
use to active transport, namely bicycling
and cycling infrastructure alone is critical but
and practice to create compact cities that
and walking, and increased public transport
not enough — to create cities that promote
promote health.
use, services and amenities. The findings
health needs joined-up policies and input
The findings provide a blueprint for
offer policymakers evidence that substantial
across multiple sectors: land use, transport,
achieving a number of the United Na-
health benefits can be achieved for urban
housing, economic development, urban de-
tions’ Sustainable Development Goals
populations by adopting different approaches
sign, health and community services, and
that include promoting healthy living by
to urban and transport policy and planning.
public safety,” Professor Giles-Corti said.
making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and
Series lead Professor Mark Stevenson
The second paper proposes a ‘compact
said momentum and awareness is growing
city’ model that incorporates health-inclusive
To access the article series, visit
around the health and wellbeing benefits
urban planning interventions. The model
www.thelancet.com/series/urban-design.
12 Sustainability Matters - Feb/Mar 2017
sustainable.
www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au