How can urban planning promote health and well-being?

1 Benefits of healthy urban planning

Healthy urban planning is an approach that seeks to integrate health and well-being considerations into urban development and governance. This approach can benefit the population and the planet in numerous ways, such as improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through low-carbon transportation modes, such as walking, cycling, and public transit. It can also enhance physical and mental health by providing access to safe, affordable, and diverse housing, as well as to quality health care, education, and social services. Furthermore, healthy urban planning fosters social cohesion and inclusion by creating mixed-use, vibrant, and accessible public spaces that encourage social interaction, participation, and cultural diversity. Finally, it supports economic development and innovation by attracting talent, businesses, and investments while facilitating the transition to a circular and green economy.

2 Principles of healthy urban planning

For successful urban planning, a holistic, participatory, and evidence-based approach is needed that embraces certain key principles. This includes adopting a human-centered and equity-oriented perspective that prioritizes the needs of vulnerable groups, such as children, elderly, women, minorities, and low-income households. Additionally, a systems thinking and cross-sectoral collaboration should be employed to recognize the interconnections and synergies between different urban elements. Moreover, a place-based and context-sensitive strategy should be implemented that is tailored to the local conditions and history of each urban area. Lastly, a long-term and adaptive vision should be pursued that anticipates and responds to current and future challenges of urbanization.

3 Examples of healthy urban planning

Cities and regions around the world have adopted healthy urban planning practices and policies to positive effect for their residents and the environment. For example, Copenhagen, Denmark has developed a comprehensive cycling network and culture, reducing its carbon footprint by 40% since 2005, while also introducing green roof policies for new buildings and creating more than 100 public parks and gardens. Curitiba, Brazil has pioneered a bus rapid transit system that serves more than 2 million passengers per day, integrating land use and transportation planning to create compact, mixed-use, and walkable neighborhoods. Additionally, they have implemented a social and environmental program that allows low-income residents to exchange recyclable materials for food, bus tickets, or books. Medellin, Colombia has made strides to transform its violent and impoverished past into a model of social and urban innovation by investing in public infrastructure such as cable cars, escalators, libraries, and schools that connect and empower marginalized communities in the hillsides. Furthermore, they have implemented a participatory budgeting process that allows citizens to decide how to allocate a portion of the municipal budget.

5 Tips for healthy urban planning

To promote health and well-being through urban planning, whether you are an urban planner, a policy maker, a researcher, a practitioner, or a citizen, here are some tips to consider. Learn from the best practices and lessons learned from other cities and regions and adapt them to your context. Collaborate with other actors and sectors that share your goals for healthy urban planning. Communicate the value and benefits of healthy urban planning to your target audiences and stakeholders using data, stories, images, videos, and events. Experiment with new ideas and solutions for healthy urban planning and test their feasibility and effectiveness. Finally, advocate for policy and institutional frameworks that affect healthy urban planning by using evidence, arguments, and narratives to persuade decision makers.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?