The topics of public health and urban planning have a strong societal impact, relating to the improvement of the quality of life of citizens, by promoting more physical activity and participation in community activities. The design and planning of our cities, public spaces and surrounding environments, whether suburban or rural, can affect our health and well-being. For example, in many cities around the world, according to the strength of the urban health inequalities, life expectancy can vary significantly from one neighborhood to another. Furthermore, access to natural places like public green spaces can be seen as an important catalyzer for health promotion. Similarly, the creation of supportive environments for health and well-being is one priority action of “Health 2020”, the new pan-European Public Health Strategy endorsed by European Ministries of Health and coordinated by the World Health Organization.
The objectives of “Green Cities, Healthy People” in terms of reach and success were to:
- Develop a common language between the stakeholders and participants and a better understanding of the perceptions of each field. These debates must open new outlook for the participants and lead to a stronger collaboration between the different disciplines and professions involved.
- Illustrate to all participants the pertinence of intersectoral and transdisciplinary collaboration.
- Publication of policy briefs based on the dialogue with policymakers and local authorities.
The Green Cities B-Debate has succeeded in bringing together different disciplines and provided a unique opportunity for knowledge exchange. You can download the discussion report, including detailed outlines of the work presented by the speakers, below.