Urban and transport planning pathways to carbon neutral, liveable and healthy cities; A review of the current evidence

Effectiveness of Mobility and Urban Sustainability Measures in Improving Citizen Health: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

The relationship between mobility and health has multiple dimensions, and the mobility model can be considered a public health intervention. Increasingly, mobility in cities is oriented towards incorporating sustainability criteria; however, there are many very diverse measures that cities carry out in terms of mobility and urban sustainability, and in many cases, these do not receive subsequent evaluation and/or study to analyse their effectiveness or impact. Currently, the literature does not offer any updated review of the measures applied in the different communities and countries.

AIM

To carry out a panoramic review of the measures implemented in the last 5 years to analyse which ones report a greater effectiveness and efficiency in health.

RESULTS

After applying the exclusion criteria of the study, a total of 16 articles were obtained for evaluation. The measures applied in terms of sustainability are grouped into four subgroups and their subsequent evaluation and possible impact on public health is analysed.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study found a large heterogeneous variety of sustainability measures in local settings around the world, which seem to reflect positive impacts on population health. However, subsequent evaluation of these measures is inconclusive in most cases. Further research and sharing across macro-communities are needed to establish universal criteria.

Green Spaces with Fewer People Improve Self-Reported Affective Experience and Mood

Calm and quiet green spaces provide health benefits for urban residents. Yet as cities become more densely populated, increasing public users to green spaces may reduce or moderate these benefits. We examine how increased pedestrian density in a green street changes self-reported wellbeing. We use a between subject experimental design that added public users as confederates in randomly selected periods over three weeks. We collect data on mood and affective response from pedestrians moving through the green street (n = 504), with and without our public user treatment in randomly selected periods. Mood and affective response are improved when experiencing the green street with fewer people. We find that an increased number of public users in the green space has a negative effect on mood, especially among women. We provide experimental evidence that self-reported wellbeing in urban green spaces depends on social context, and that there are gender inequities associated with changes in affective response. Although we only measure immediate impacts, our results imply that the health benefits of green spaces may be limited by the total number of users. This research contributes additional evidence that greener cities are also healthier cities, but that the benefits may not be equally shared between women and men and will depend on the social context of use.

The evaluation of the 3-30-300 green space rule and mental health

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Urban green space has many health benefits, but it is still unclear how much actually is needed for better health. Recently a new 3-30-300 rule of thumb for urban forestry and urban greening has been proposed, but this rule has not been evaluated for benefits on health. The rule requires that every citizen should be able to see at least three trees from their home, have 30 percent tree canopy cover in their neighbourhood and not live more than 300 m away from the nearest park or green space. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the 3-30-300 green space rule and its components in relation to mental health.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study based on a population-based sample of 3145 individuals aged 15-97 years from in Barcelona, Spain who participated in the Barcelona Health Survey (2016-2017). We created 3-30-300 green space indicators using questionnaire data, GIS, remote sensing and land cover maps. Mental health status was assessed with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and also the use of tranquilizer/sedatives or antidepressants and psychiatrist or psychologist visits. Analyses were conducted using mixed effects logistic regression models with districts as the random effect, adjusted for relevant covariates.

RESULTS

We found that people in Barcelona had relatively little exposure to green space, whether through window view, living in an area with sufficient greenness, or access to a major green space, and only 4.7% met a surrogate 3-30-300 green space rule. Residential surrounding greenness, but not tree window view or access to major green space, was significantly associated with better mental health, less medication use, and fewer psychologist or psychiatrist visits. Meeting the full surrogate 3-30-300 green space rule was associated with better mental health, less medication use, and fewer psychologist or psychiatrist visits, but only for the latter combined the association was statistically significant (Odds ratio = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.91).

CONCLUSION

Few people achieved the 3-30-300 green space in Barcelona and we used a surrogate measure. We observed health benefits when the full surrogate rule was met.

Perception of the Neighborhood Environment, Physical Activity by Domain and Sitting Time in Brazilian Adults

This study aimed to examine the association between the neighborhood environment and domain-specific physical activity and sitting time in Brazilian adults. This cross-sectional study included 1803 adults (53.7% women) from Brazil's five regions (North, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast and South). The perception of the environment was evaluated via a questionnaire. We considered seven indicators of the neighborhood environment: land use mix-diversity, land use mix-access, street connectivity, walking/cycling facilities, aesthetics, safety from traffic and safety from crime. Using the IPAQ, we evaluated physical activity (transport and leisure) and sitting time. Overall, land use mix-diversity (β = 3.22; 95% CI = 0.26, 6.19), land use mix-access (β = 2.27; 95% CI = 0.76, 3.79), and walking/cycling facilities (β = 2.42; 95% CI = 0.35, 4.49) were positively associated with leisure-time physical activity (min/week). On the other hand, only land use mix-diversity (β = 3.65; 95% CI = 0.63, 5.49) was positively associated with transport physical activity (min/week). No neighborhood environment indicator was associated with sitting time (min/day). Perception of the neighborhood environment was associated with physical activity (transport and leisure), while no significant associations occurred with sitting time among the five regions of Brazil. The neighborhood environment can be a viable component in the promotion of physical activity, but geographic diversity must be considered.

The United States and China on the paths and policies to carbon neutrality

The rapid economic development has highlighted the global climate change problem and carbon dioxide emissions have brought challenges to global climate change. The combined carbon emissions of the United States and China are nearly half of global carbon emissions. These two countries have made great contributions to environmental protection and responded actively to global warming, and set the goal of carbon neutrality. This study takes the United States and China as examples to compare their national paths and policies to achieve carbon neutrality while also analyzing the stage effects of carbon emission reduction in these two countries. This study found that the policy systems in the United States and China are opposites of each other. The United States is a "Bottom to Top" system while China is a "Top to Bottom". The CO₂ emission in the United States is currently in the absolute carbon emission reduction period, that is, the reduction of total carbon emissions; while China is in the relative carbon emission reduction period, that is, the reduction of carbon emission intensity. China's transition time from carbon peaking to carbon neutrality is shorter than that of the United States, which is a huge challenge for China because its population is much larger than that of the United States. The results of this research can be used by other countries and regions for supporting carbon reduction policy decision-making and achieving UN sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Agent-based modeling of urban exposome interventions: prospects, model architectures, and methodological challenges

With ever more people living in cities worldwide, it becomes increasingly important to understand and improve the impact of the urban habitat on livability, health behaviors, and health outcomes. However, implementing interventions that tackle the exposome in complex urban systems can be costly and have long-term, sometimes unforeseen, impacts. Hence, it is crucial to assess the health impact, cost-effectiveness, and social distributional impacts of possible urban exposome interventions (UEIs) before implementing them. Spatial agent-based modeling (ABM) can capture complex behavior-environment interactions, exposure dynamics, and social outcomes in a spatial context. This article discusses model architectures and methodological challenges for successfully modeling UEIs using spatial ABM. We review the potential and limitations of the method; model components required to capture active and passive exposure and intervention effects; human-environment interactions and their integration into the macro-level health impact assessment and social costs benefit analysis; and strategies for model calibration. Major challenges for a successful application of ABM to UEI assessment are (1) the design of realistic behavioral models that can capture different types of exposure and that respond to urban interventions, (2) the mismatch between the possible granularity of exposure estimates and the evidence for corresponding exposure-response functions, (3) the scalability issues that emerge when aiming to estimate long-term effects such as health and social impacts based on high-resolution models of human-environment interactions, (4) as well as the data- and computational complexity of calibrating the resulting agent-based model. Although challenges exist, strategies are proposed to improve the implementation of ABM in exposome research.

The impact of COVID-19 on the market prospects of electric passenger cars

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes worldwide in a dimension that has not been seen since the Second World War. This pandemic and the measures taken to moderate the negative consequences have affected almost all aspects of our life. Transport has been one of the most affected sectors. In general, the global car market is very sensitive to macroeconomic conditions. This applies especially to electric vehicles, which are still very dependent on financial support measures. A combination of travel restrictions, unemployment, and low oil prices could have significant impact on electric vehicles. This paper provides an overview of the development of electric vehicles and corresponding policies covering the period before and during the COVID crisis. Policy framework and the future development of the annual gross domestic product per capita have a significant impact on diffusion of battery electric vehicles. However, since the crisis is still ongoing, the full impact of the COVID crisis on mobility is still to be seen but the findings so far show rather favorable signs for electric mobility. This article is categorized under:Cities and Transportation > Electric Mobility.

Thinking Health-related Behaviors in a Climate Change Context: A Narrative Review

BACKGROUND

Human activities have changed the environment so profoundly over the past two centuries that human-induced climate change is now posing serious health-related threats to current and future generations. Rapid action from all scientific fields, including behavioral medicine, is needed to contribute to both mitigation of, and adaption to, climate change.

PURPOSE

This article aims to identify potential bi-directional associations between climate change impacts and health-related behaviors, as well as a set of key actions for the behavioral medicine community.

METHODS

We synthesized the existing literature about (i) the impacts of rising temperatures, extreme weather events, air pollution, and rising sea level on individual behaviors (e.g., eating behaviors, physical activity, sleep, substance use, and preventive care) as well as the structural factors related to these behaviors (e.g., the food system); and (ii) the concurrent positive and negative roles that health-related behaviors can play in mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

RESULTS

Based on this literature review, we propose a first conceptual model of climate change and health-related behavior feedback loops. Key actions are proposed, with particular consideration for health equity implications of future behavioral interventions. Actions to bridge the fields of behavioral medicine and climate sciences are also discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

We contend that climate change is among the most urgent issues facing all scientists and should become a central priority for the behavioral medicine community.

Impacts of new cycle infrastructure on cycling levels in two French cities: an interrupted time series analysis

BACKGROUND

Cities globally have started to make substantial investment in more sustainable forms of transportation. We aimed to evaluate whether the construction of new cycling infrastructure in Paris and Lyon, France, affected population cycling activity along new or improved routes.

METHODS

Routinely collected cycle count data from January 2014 to March 2020 were acquired for the cities of Paris and Lyon. Improvements were identified at 15 locations with 6 months of pre- and post-intervention data. Comparison streets were chosen within Paris or Lyon for which pre-intervention trends in cycling were similar to those at intervention sites. Controlled interrupted time series analyses and autocorrelation were performed adjusting for seasonality. Random-effects meta-analysis combined results across streets within each city and overall.

RESULTS

On average, cycling counts/day increased on both intervention and control streets in Paris and Lyon. In general, results of the ITS analysis indicated no significant change in the level or trend as a result of the improvements in either city. Meta-analysis suggested that intervention streets in Paris had a larger positive pooled effect size for level change (218 cycle counts, 95% CI -189, 626, I² = 0%) compared to Lyon (34, 95% CI -65, 133, I² = 14%); however, confidence intervals for both cities were wide and included no effect.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that improving or constructing new cycle lanes may be necessary but not sufficient to induce significant changes in cycling levels. There is a need to understand how context, intervention design and other complementary interventions can improve the effectiveness of new cycling infrastructure.

Impacts of changes in environmental exposures and health behaviours due to the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular and mental health: A comparison of Barcelona, Vienna, and Stockholm

Responses to COVID-19 altered environmental exposures and health behaviours associated with non-communicable diseases. We aimed to (1) quantify changes in nitrogen dioxide (NO2), noise, physical activity, and greenspace visits associated with COVID-19 policies in the spring of 2020 in Barcelona (Spain), Vienna (Austria), and Stockholm (Sweden), and (2) estimated the number of additional and prevented diagnoses of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, depression, and anxiety based on these changes. We calculated differences in NO2, noise, physical activity, and greenspace visits between pre-pandemic (baseline) and pandemic (counterfactual) levels. With two counterfactual scenarios, we distinguished between Acute Period (March 15th - April 26th, 2020) and Deconfinement Period (May 2nd - June 30th, 2020) assuming counterfactual scenarios were extended for 12 months. Relative risks for each exposure difference were estimated with exposure-risk functions. In the Acute Period, reductions in NO2 (range of change from -16.9 μg/m3 to -1.1 μg/m3), noise (from -5 dB(A) to -2 dB(A)), physical activity (from -659 MET*min/wk to -183 MET*min/wk) and greenspace visits (from -20.2 h/m to 1.1 h/m) were largest in Barcelona and smallest in Stockholm. In the Deconfinement Period, NO2 (from -13.9 μg/m3 to -3.1 μg/m3), noise (from -3 dB(A) to -1 dB(A)), and physical activity levels (from -524 MET*min/wk to -83 MET*min/wk) remained below pre-pandemic levels in all cities. Greatest impacts were caused by physical activity reductions. If physical activity levels in Barcelona remained at Acute Period levels, increases in annual diagnoses for MI (mean: 572 (95% CI: 224, 943)), stroke (585 (6, 1156)), depression (7903 (5202, 10,936)), and anxiety (16,677 (926, 27,002)) would be anticipated. To decrease cardiovascular and mental health impacts, reductions in NO2 and noise from the first COVID-19 surge should be sustained, but without reducing physical activity. Focusing on cities' connectivity that promotes active transportation and reduces motor vehicle use assists in achieving this goal.

Urban Intelligence for Carbon Neutral Cities: Creating Synergy among Data, Analytics, and Climate Actions

Cities are critical research subjects in carbon neutrality, considering they produce more than 70% of greenhouse gas emissions and their crucial role in taking climate actions. The pathway towards a greener society requires consensus, intelligence, and actions among global cities as a network of carbon neutral cities (CNC). Considering cities as complex system-of-systems, synergy among various sub-systems can create co-benefits through the progress towards carbon neutrality. Large volume, velocity, and variety of urban data provide new opportunities for quantifying, analyzing, and visualizing environmental–social–technical dynamics in urban systems. Rich data resources, advanced analytics, and climate actions collectively enable urban intelligence by leveraging data from heterogeneous sources with different spatial granularity and temporal frequency. Such intelligence can promote synergy across sub-systems and domains to support more responsive, precise, proactive planning, policy, and managerial actions. With a discussion on future innovation in urban intelligence for CNC, this paper presents conclusions on how urban intelligence can promote a smarter and greener society.

Methods for Evaluating Environmental Health Impacts at Different Stages of the Policy Process in Cities

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Evaluating the environmental health impacts of urban policies is critical for developing and implementing policies that lead to more healthy and equitable cities. This article aims to (1) identify research questions commonly used when evaluating the health impacts of urban policies at different stages of the policy process, (2) describe commonly used methods, and (3) discuss challenges, opportunities, and future directions.

RECENT FINDINGS

In the diagnosis and design stages of the policy process, research questions aim to characterize environmental problems affecting human health and to estimate the potential impacts of new policies. Simulation methods using existing exposure-response information to estimate health impacts predominate at these stages of the policy process. In subsequent stages, e.g., during implementation, research questions aim to understand the actual policy impacts. Simulation methods or observational methods, which rely on experimental data gathered in the study area to assess the effectiveness of the policy, can be applied at these stages. Increasingly, novel techniques fuse both simulation and observational methods to enhance the robustness of impact evaluations assessing implemented policies. The policy process consists of interdependent stages, from inception to end, but most reviewed studies focus on single stages, neglecting the continuity of the policy life cycle. Studies assessing the health impacts of policies using a multi-stage approach are lacking. Most studies investigate intended impacts of policies; focusing also on unintended impacts may provide a more comprehensive evaluation of policies.

Exploring Potential Ways to Reduce the Carbon Emission Gap in an Urban Metabolic System: A Network Perspective

To meet the global need for carbon neutrality, we must first understand the role of urban carbon metabolism. In this study, we developed a land-energy-carbon framework to model the spatial and temporal variation of carbon flows in Beijing from 1990 to 2018. Based on the changes in carbon sequestration and energy consumption, we used ecological network analysis to identify the critical paths for achieving carbon neutrality during land-use changes, thereby revealing possible decarbonization pathways to achieve carbon neutrality. By using GIS software, changes in the center of gravity for carbon flows were visualized in each period, and future urban construction scenarios were explored based on land-use policy. We found that the direct carbon emission peaked in 2010, mostly due to a growing area of transportation and industrial land. Total integrated flows through the network decreased at an average annual rate of 3.8%, and the change from cultivated land to the socioeconomic sectors and the paths between each socioeconomic component accounted for 29.5 and 31.7% of the integrated flows during the study period. The socioeconomic sectors as key nodes in the network should focus both on their scale expansion and on using cleaner energy to reduce carbon emissions. The center of gravity gradually moved southward, indicating that the new emission centers should seek a greener mixture of land use. Reducing carbon emission will strongly relied on transforming Beijing's energy consumption structure and increasing green areas to improve carbon sinks. Our results provide insights into carbon flow paths that must be modified by implementing land-use policies to reduce carbon emission and produce a more sustainable urban metabolism.

Selected Research Issues of Urban Public Health

Health is created within the urban settings of people’s everyday lives. In this paper we define Urban Public Health and compile existing evidence regarding the spatial component of health and disease in urban environments. Although there is already a substantial body of single evidence on the links between urban environments and human health, focus is mostly on individual health behaviors. We look at Urban Public Health through a structural lens that addresses health conditions beyond individual health behaviors and identify not only health risks but also health resources associated with urban structures. Based on existing conceptual frameworks, we structured evidence in the following categories: (i) build and natural environment, (ii) social environment, (iii) governance and urban development. We focused our search to review articles and reviews of reviews for each of the keywords via database PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar in order to cover the range of issues in urban environments. Our results show that linking findings from different disciplines and developing spatial thinking can overcome existing single evidence and make other correlations visible. Further research should use interdisciplinary approaches and focus on health resources and the transformation of urban structures rather than merely on health risks and behavior.

Spatio-temporal pattern of urban vegetation carbon sink and driving mechanisms of human activities in Huaibei, China

Carbon neutrality is a strategic choice for the sustainable development of global cities. Quantitatively assessing the spatio-temporal patterns of urban vegetation carbon sink and the impact of human activities has become an essential basis for adjusting urban carbon balance. We used Huaibei, a typical city with vigorous human coal resource mining activities, as the case study area. We regarded the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) as an indicator parameter of vegetation carbon sink and calculated it based on the improved Carnegie-Ames-Stanford approach (CASA). We then revealed the spatial-temporal evolution of vegetation carbon sink through trend analysis, coefficient of variation, and standard direction. Finally, we used geographic detectors to evaluate the impact of human activities on NEP. We found that net primary productivity (NPP) accuracy was good, and the R² value was 0.755 compared with MODIS NPP products. NEP was characterized by the first decrease and then increase, showing a slow increase overall, with an average trend coefficient of 0.15 gC·m^-2·a^-1. The average value in 2010 was the lowest at 18.30 gC·m^-2·a^-1. In terms of spatial characteristics, NEP showed a gradual decrease from north to south. High and severe fluctuations were distributed along the southeast, mainly concentrated in Duji District, Xiangshan District, and Lieshan District. The driving factors with reliable explanatory power for NEP were population density, GDP, and road density, while land use type, soil erosion intensity, and mining and collapse area had weak explanatory power. Meanwhile, factors of cooperative interaction enhanced the explanatory power of the results.

Growing urban bicycle networks

Cycling is a promising solution to unsustainable urban transport systems. However, prevailing bicycle network development follows a slow and piecewise process, without taking into account the structural complexity of transportation networks. Here we explore systematically the topological limitations of urban bicycle network development. For 62 cities we study different variations of growing a synthetic bicycle network between an arbitrary set of points routed on the urban street network. We find initially decreasing returns on investment until a critical threshold, posing fundamental consequences to sustainable urban planning: cities must invest into bicycle networks with the right growth strategy, and persistently, to surpass a critical mass. We also find pronounced overlaps of synthetically grown networks in cities with well-developed existing bicycle networks, showing that our model reflects reality. Growing networks from scratch makes our approach a generally applicable starting point for sustainable urban bicycle network planning with minimal data requirements.

Simulation of Spatial Service Range and Value of Carbon Sink Based on Intelligent Urban Ecosystem Management System and Net Present Value Models—An Example from the Qinling Mountains

Under the current background of carbon neutrality, the quantification of carbon neutrality in Qinling Mountains, the calculation of the spatial service scope, and the estimation of economic value are of great significance for the improvement of carbon neutrality spatial planning and the carbon trading market. The Intelligent Urban Ecosystem Management System (IUEMS) was used to calculate the carbon sequestration of the Qinling Mountains. The carbon emission of Qinling Mountains was spatialized through model fitting, using the night light data and energy consumption data of various cities. The static carbon content of the Qinling Mountains was obtained. Combined with the common gas diffusion coefficient, under normal temperature and pressure, the service range of the Qinling Mountains’ carbon neutralization to the surrounding area was calculated. The spatial distribution of carbon sequestration in 2030 and 2050 was simulated using Patch generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model and Net Present Value (NPV) model. Under two discount rates, the model could calculate the carbon value in 2012, 2016, 2020, 2030, and 2050, respectively. The results proved that the value of carbon in the Qinling Mountains is gradually increasing. Since 2012, the service range of carbon neutralization in the Qinling Mountains was 175–262.63 km, and the service range has been gradually expanded. The discount rate is inversely proportional to the carbon value.

Autonomous Traffic System for Emergency Vehicles

An emergency can occur at any time. To overcome that emergency efficiently, we require seamless movement on the road to approach the destination within a limited time by using an Emergency Vehicle (EV). This paper proposes an emergency vehicle management solution (EVMS) to determine an efficient vehicle-passing sequence that allows the EV to cross a junction without any delay. The proposed system passes the EV and minimally affects the travel times of other vehicles on the junction. In the presence of an EV in the communication range, the proposed system prioritizes the EV by creating space for it in the lane adjacent to the shoulder lane. The shoulder lane is a lane that cyclists and motorcyclists will use in normal situations. However, when an EV enters the communication range, traffic from the adjacent lane will move to the shoulder lane. As the number of vehicles on the road increases rapidly, crossing the EV in the shortest possible time is crucial. The EVMS and algorithms are presented in this study to find the optimal vehicle sequence that gives EVs the highest priority. The proposed solution uses cutting-edge technologies (IoT Sensors, GPS, 5G, and Cloud computing) to collect and pass EVs’ information to the Roadside Units (RSU). The proposed solution was evaluated through mathematical modeling. The results show that the EVMS can reduce the travel times of EVs significantly without causing any performance degradation of normal vehicles.

An Integrated Analysis of Social, Economic, and Environmental Indicators' Effects on Public Health and Health Inequality Globally: From the Perspective of Vulnerability

Public health and health inequality have been widely researched as they are essential for human development and social justice. Although factors influencing public health and health inequality have been explored, an integrated and comprehensive analysis of social, economic, and environmental indicators' effects on public health and health inequality globally is yet to be conducted. The current study addresses this gap by using a theoretical framework that integrates these three dimensions, examining their effects on public health and health inequality from the perspective of vulnerability. Considering the spatial heterogeneity across countries, spatial econometric models and geographically weighted regressions were conducted for the examination of these effects. Our findings reveal the social indicators of urbanisation ratio, social education level, and social governance capacity had positive effects on public health promotion and health inequality elimination globally. Besides these, environmental risk and economic capacity had relatively low impacts on health inequality. Further, the geographically weighted regression results indicate that vulnerability's effects on public health and health inequality varied significantly across countries. This integrated analysis provides national policymakers with a new perspective of vulnerability for public health promotion and health inequality reduction.

Study protocol of the European Urban Burden of Disease Project: a health impact assessment study

INTRODUCTION

Cities have long been known to be society's predominant engine of innovation and wealth creation, yet they are also hotspots of pollution and disease partly due to current urban and transport practices. The aim of the European Urban Burden of Disease project is to evaluate the health burden and its determinants related to current and future potential urban and transport planning practices and related exposures in European cities and make this evidence available for policy and decision making for healthy and sustainable futures.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Drawing on an established comparative risk assessment methodology (ie, Urban and Transport Planning Health Impact Assessment) tool), in nearly 1000 European cities we will (1) quantify the health impacts of current urban and transport planning related exposures (eg, air pollution, noise, excess heat, lack of green space) (2) and evaluate the relationship between current levels of exposure, health impacts and city characteristics (eg, size, density, design, mobility) (3) rank and compare the cities based on exposure levels and the health impacts, (4) in a number of selected cities assess in-depth the linkages between urban and transport planning, environment, physical activity and health, and model the health impacts of alternative and realistic urban and transport planning scenarios, and, finally, (5) construct a healthy city index and set up an effective knowledge translation hub to generate impact in society and policy.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

All data to be used in the project are publicly available data and do not need ethics approval. We will request consent for personal data on opinions and views and create data agreements for those providing information on current and future urban and transport planning scenarios.For dissemination and to generate impact, we will create a knowledge translation hub with information tailored to various stakeholders.

Achieving ‘Active’ 30 Minute Cities: How Feasible Is It to Reach Work within 30 Minutes Using Active Transport Modes?

Confronted with rapid urbanization, population growth, traffic congestion, and climate change, there is growing interest in creating cities that support active transport modes including walking, cycling, or public transport. The ‘30 minute city’, where employment is accessible within 30 min by active transport, is being pursued in some cities to reduce congestion and foster local living. This paper examines the spatial relationship between employment, the skills of residents, and transport opportunities, to answer three questions about Australia’s 21 largest cities: (1) What percentage of workers currently commute to their workplace within 30 min? (2) If workers were to shift to an active transport mode, what percent could reach their current workplace within 30 min? and (3) If it were possible to relocate workers closer to their employment or relocate employment closer to their home, what percentage could reach work within 30 min by each mode? Active transport usage in Australia is low, with public transport, walking, and cycling making up 16.8%, 2.8%, and 1.1% respectively of workers’ commutes. Cycling was found to have the most potential for achieving the 30 min city, with an estimated 29.5% of workers able to reach their current workplace were they to shift to cycling. This increased to 69.1% if workers were also willing and able to find a similar job closer to home, potentially reducing commuting by private motor vehicle from 79.3% to 30.9%.

Green Infrastructure and Health

The health benefits of green space are well known, but the health effects of green infrastructure less so. Green infrastructure goes well beyond the presence of green space and refers more to a strategically planned network of natural and seminatural areas, with other environmental features designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services and possibly to improve human health. In this narrative review, we found that small green infrastructure, such as green roofs and walls, has the potential to mitigate urban flooding, attenuate indoor temperatures and heat islands, improve air quality, and muffle noise, among other benefits, but these effects have not been linked directly to health. Larger green infrastructure has been associated with reduced temperatures, air pollution, and crimes and violence, but less so with health, although some evidence suggests that it may be beneficial for health (e.g., good health, decreased mortality). Finally, parks and street trees show many health benefits, but it is not clear if they can always be considered green infrastructure.

Herzgesunde Städte – die Gene laden das Gewehr, die Umwelt zieht den Abzug

Die Weltgesundheitsorganisation gibt an, dass die Stadtplanung mittlerweile als kritischer Bestandteil einer umfassenden Lösung zur Bekämpfung umweltbedingter Gesundheitsschäden gesehen wird. Die vorliegende Übersicht befasst sich mit nicht übertragbaren Krankheiten mit dem Schwerpunkt auf Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen und dem Urbanisierungsprozess in Bezug auf Umweltrisiken wie Lärm, Luftverschmutzung, Temperatur und Licht im Freien. Es wird dargelegt, warum sich Wärmeinseln in städtischen Gebieten entwickeln können und wie die Begrünung von Städten die öffentliche Gesundheit verbessern und Klimaprobleme, Nachhaltigkeit und Lebensfähigkeit adressieren kann. Darüber hinaus thematisieren wir Stadtplanung, Verkehrsinterventionen und neuartige Technologien zur Bewertung externer Umweltexpositionen, z. B. Einsatz digitaler Technologien, um zukünftig herzgesunde Städte zu fördern. Zuletzt heben wir neue Paradigmen des integrativen Denkens hervor, wie das Exposom und die planetare Gesundheit, indem wir den Zusammenhang zwischen Exposition und Gesundheitsauswirkungen kritisch evaluieren und unser Verständnis der Gesamtheit der Expositionen gegenüber der Umwelt des Menschen erweitern.

New urban models for more sustainable, liveable and healthier cities post covid19; reducing air pollution, noise and heat island effects and increasing green space and physical activity

Cities are centres of innovation and wealth creation, but also hotspots of air pollution and noise, heat island effects and lack of green space, which are all detrimental to human health. They are also hotspots of COVID19. COVID19 has led to a rethink of urban public space. Therefore, is it time to re-think our urban models and reduce the health burden? We provide a narrative meta-review around a number of cutting edge and visionary urban models that that may affect health and that have been reported over the past few years. New urban concepts such as the Superblocks, the low traffic neighbourhood, 15 Minute city, Car free city or a mixture of these that may go some way in reducing the health burden related to current urban and transport practices. They will reduce air pollution and noise, heat island effects and increase green space and physical activity levels. What is still lacking though is a thorough evaluation of the effectiveness and acceptability of the schemes and the impacts on not only health, but also liveability and sustainability, although they are expected to be positive. Finally, the COVID19 pandemic may accelerate these developments and stimulus funding like the EU Next Generation funding should be used to make these changes.

Premature Mortality of 2050 High Bike Use Scenarios in 17 Countries

BACKGROUND

Biking plays a significant role in urban mobility and has been suggested as a tool to promote public health. A recent study has proposed 2050 global biking scenarios based on large shifts from motorized vehicles to bikes. No previous studies have estimated the health impacts of global cycling scenarios, either future car-bike shift substitutions.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to quantify changes in premature mortality of 2050 global biking scenarios in urban populations from 17 countries.

METHODS

Through a quantitative Health Impact Assessment, the mortality risks and benefits of replacing car trips by bike (mechanica bike and electric bike) in urban populations from 17 countries were estimated. Multiple bike scenarios were created based on current transport trends or large shifts from car trips to bike trips. We quantified the estimated change in the number of premature deaths (reduced or increased) concerning road traffic fatalities, air pollution, and physical activity. This study focuses on urban populations between 20 and 64 y old.

RESULTS

We found that, among the urban populations (20-64 y old) of 17 countries, 205,424 annual premature deaths could be prevented if high bike-use scenarios are achieved by 2050 (assuming that 100% of bike trips replace car trips). If only 8% of bike trips replace car trips in a more conservative scenario, 18,589 annual premature deaths could be prevented by 2050 in the same population. In all the countries and scenarios, the mortality benefits related to bike use (rather than car use) outweighed the mortality risks.

DISCUSSION

We found that global biking policies may provide important mortality benefits in 2050. Current and future bike- vs. car-trip policies should be considered key public health interventions for a healthy urban design. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9073.

Observed inequality in urban greenspace exposure in China

Given the important role of green environments playing in healthy cities, the inequality in urban greenspace exposure has aroused growing attentions. However, few comparative studies are available to quantify this phenomenon for cities with different population sizes across a country, especially for those in the developing world. Besides, commonly used inequality measures are always hindered by the conceptual simplification without accounting for human mobility in greenspace exposure assessments. To fill this knowledge gap, we leverage multi-source geospatial big data and a modified assessment framework to evaluate the inequality in urban greenspace exposure for 303 cities in China. Our findings reveal that the majority of Chinese cities are facing high inequality in greenspace exposure, with 207 cities having a Gini index larger than 0.6. Driven by the spatiotemporal variability of human distribution, the magnitude of inequality varies over different times of the day. We also find that exposure inequality is correlated with low greenspace provision with a statistical significance (p-value < 0.05). The inadequate provision may result from various factors, such as dry cold climate and urbanization patterns. Our study provides evidence and insights for central and local governments in China to implement more effective and sustainable greening programs adjusted to different local circumstances and incorporate the public participatory engagement to achieve a real balance between greenspace supply and demand for developing healthy cities.

Environmental risk factors and cardiovascular diseases: a comprehensive review

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are fatal for more than 38 million people each year and are thus the main contributors to the global burden of disease accounting for 70% of mortality. The majority of these deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease. The risk of NCDs is strongly associated with exposure to environmental stressors such as pollutants in the air, noise exposure, artificial light at night and climate change, including heat extremes, desert storms and wildfires. In addition to the traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as diabetes, arterial hypertension, smoking, hypercholesterolemia and genetic predisposition, there is a growing body of evidence showing that physicochemical factors in the environment contribute significantly to the high NCD numbers. Furthermore, urbanization is associated with accumulation and intensification of these stressors. This comprehensive expert review will summarize the epidemiology and pathophysiology of environmental stressors with a focus on cardiovascular NCDs. We will also discuss solutions and mitigation measures to lower the impact of environmental risk factors with focus on cardiovascular disease.

Bibliometric Analysis and Research Trend Forecast of Healthy Urban Planning for 40 Years (1981-2020)

The history of healthy city planning can be traced back to the beginning of the 19th century. Since the industrialization period, the harsh living conditions of cities and the outbreak of infectious diseases have promoted the coordinated development of urban planning and public health, and people have gradually realized the importance of urban design and planning to the health of residents. After searching keywords related to health city and urban planning, and excluding repeated, non-English, and unrelated papers, this work retrieved 2582 documents as the basic data (timespan is 1 January 1981–31 December 2020, retrieval time is 28 January 2021). Additionally, CiteSpace was used to analyze document co-citation, cooperation network, and topic co-occurrence. Subsequently, random forest algorithm was used to predict the probability of citation. Overall, this work found that the hot spots of healthy urban planning are physical activity, green space, urban green space, and mental health. It also shows the diversification of themes and the development trend of cross-fields in the field of healthy urban planning. In addition, the article found that two factors, namely, the average number of citations of the first author and whether the article belongs to the field of environmental research, have a great impact on the number of citations of the article. This work is of practical significance to relevant practitioners and researchers, because it provides guidance for hot topics and future research directions in the field of healthy urban planning.

Moderation effect of urban density on changes in physical activity during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

Various social distancing measures were carried out in many cities worldwide during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (COVID-19). These measures have led to decreased physical activity levels and higher health risks among urban populations. Strong evidence has been established that built environment characteristics can stimulate physical activity and thus improve public health during non-pandemic periods. Urban density was arguably one of the most important built environment characteristics. However, little is known about whether high urban density amplifies or attenuates the decline in physical activity during the pandemic. Based on two-wave physical activity data collected before and during the pandemic (in January and May 2020, respectively), we used moderation analysis to compare the changes in physical activity levels between people living in low- and high-density neighborhoods. Our results showed that people living in low-density areas have a smaller decrease in physical activity conducted in neighborhood, compared to those living in high-density areas. Our findings suggest that a flexible and porous urban development strategy could enhance the resilience of a city during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.

Heart healthy cities: genetics loads the gun but the environment pulls the trigger

The world's population is estimated to reach 10 billion by 2050 and 75% of this population will live in cities. Two-third of the European population already live in urban areas and this proportion continues to grow. Between 60% and 80% of the global energy use is consumed by urban areas, with 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions produced within urban areas. The World Health Organization states that city planning is now recognized as a critical part of a comprehensive solution to tackle adverse health outcomes. In the present review, we address non-communicable diseases with a focus on cardiovascular disease and the urbanization process in relation to environmental risk exposures including noise, air pollution, temperature, and outdoor light. The present review reports why heat islands develop in urban areas, and how greening of cities can improve public health, and address climate concerns, sustainability, and liveability. In addition, we discuss urban planning, transport interventions, and novel technologies to assess external environmental exposures, e.g. using digital technologies, to promote heart healthy cities in the future. Lastly, we highlight new paradigms of integrative thinking such as the exposome and planetary health, challenging the one-exposure-one-health-outcome association and expand our understanding of the totality of human environmental exposures.

Environmental exposure during travel: A research review and suggestions forward

Daily travel through the urban fabric exposes urban dwellers to a range of environmental conditions that may have an impact on their health and wellbeing. Knowledge about exposures during travel, their associations with travel behavior, and their social and health outcomes are still limited. In our review, we aim to explain how the current environmental exposure research addresses the interactions between human and environmental systems during travel through their spatial, temporal and contextual dimensions. Based on the 104 selected studies, we identify significant recent advances in addressing the spatiotemporal dynamics of exposure during travel. However, the conceptual and methodological framework for understanding the role of multiple environmental exposures in travel environments is still in an early phase, and the health and wellbeing impacts at individual or population level are not well known. Further research with greater geographical balance is needed to fill the gaps in the empirical evidence, and linking environmental exposures during travel with the causal health and wellbeing outcomes. These advancements can enable evidence-based urban and transport planning to take the next step in advancing urban livability.

The role of social vs. physical environmental nuisances in affecting stress among Jewish and Muslim women in Israel

We calculate the effects of selected social and physical environmental nuisances on the autonomic nervous system balance among Jewish and Muslim mothers. Seventy-two Jewish and Muslim young healthy mothers from an Arab and Jewish neighboring city were tested in seven urban environments. Three social mediators (social discomfort, participation in household's decision-making and freedom of movement) and three physical mediators (thermal load, carbon monoxide and noise) were considered. Mean differences between Jewish and Muslim heart rate variability (HRV) and the effects of the mediating variables were calculated by ANOVA and stepwise multiple regressions. The results suggest that HRV was predominantly affected by social discomfort. Jewish and Muslim mothers experienced similar levels of social discomfort albeit; their responses differed by type of environment. Jewish mothers experienced stronger social discomfort in outdoor environments while Muslim mothers felt stronger social discomfort at home. Crossing ethnic boundaries was associated with increase in stress in both groups. Social discomfort played a stronger role in predicting stress in inter-ethnic environments. In conclusion, the study shows that social discomfort is a predominant environmental factor in predicting stress and related risk to health as reflected in the ANS balance across ethnicities. In addition ethnic specific factors like women freedom of movement played a minor role in effecting stress. At the same time the physical environmental aspects played essential role in effecting stress.

From Livable Communities to Livable Metropolis: Challenges for Urban Mobility in Lisbon Metropolitan Area (Portugal)

Urban mobility plays an important role in addressing urban livability. The complexification and dispersion of travel due to the improvement of transport and the multiplication of our daily living places underline the relevance of multilevel territorial planning, recognizing that the knowledge of local differences is essential for more effective urban policies. This paper aims (1) to comprehend conceptually how urban mobility contributes to the urban livability from the local to metropolitan level and (2) to assess the previous relation toward a livable metropolis based on the readily available statistics for the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Hence, a triangulation between conceptual, political/operative, and quantitative/monitoring approaches is required. The methodology follows four steps: (1) literature review focusing on the quantification of urban mobility within the urban livability approach; (2) data collection from the Portuguese statistics system; (3) data analysis and results, using principal component analysis (PCA) followed by cluster analysis (CA); (4) discussion and conclusions. In Portugal, although it is implicit, consistency is evident between the premises of recent urban mobility policies and respective planning instruments, such as the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP), and the premises of urban livability as an urban movement. Focusing on the national statistics system, the available indicators that meet our quality criteria are scarce and represent a reduced number of domains. Even so, they allow identifying intra-metropolitan differences in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA) that could support multilevel planning instruments. The results identified five principal components related to commuting at the local and intermunicipal level, including car use as well as social and environmental externalities, and they reorganized the 18 LMA municipalities into eight groups, clearly isolating Lisbon, the capital, from the others. The identification of sensitive territories and respective problems based on urban livability principles is fundamental for an effective urban planning from livable communities to livable metropolis.

The Health Cost of Transport in Cities

Purpose of Review

The study aims to provide an understanding of health cost assessments of different transport modes in urban contexts, and their relevance for transport planning and political decision-making.

Recent Findings

There is strong evidence that motorized transportation imposes a high health cost on society, and specifically children. In contrast, active transport is a very significant health benefit.

Summary

Economic analyses support urban change in favor of compact neighborhoods and public transit, as well as infrastructure exclusively devoted to active transport. Private cars need to be restricted because of the high cost they impose on society.

Hallmarks of environmental insults

Environmental insults impair human health around the world. Contaminated air, water, soil, food, and occupational and household settings expose humans of all ages to a plethora of chemicals and environmental stressors. We propose eight hallmarks of environmental insults that jointly underpin the damaging impact of environmental exposures during the lifespan. Specifically, they include oxidative stress and inflammation, genomic alterations and mutations, epigenetic alterations, mitochondrial dysfunction, endocrine disruption, altered intercellular communication, altered microbiome communities, and impaired nervous system function. They provide a framework to understand why complex mixtures of environmental exposures induce severe health effects even at relatively modest concentrations.

Premature mortality due to air pollution in European cities: a health impact assessment

BACKGROUND

Ambient air pollution is a major environmental cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cities are generally hotspots for air pollution and disease. However, the exact extent of the health effects of air pollution at the city level is still largely unknown. We aimed to estimate the proportion of annual preventable deaths due to air pollution in almost 1000 cities in Europe.

METHODS

We did a quantitative health impact assessment for the year 2015 to estimate the effect of air pollution exposure (PM_2·5 and NO₂) on natural-cause mortality for adult residents (aged ≥20 years) in 969 cities and 47 greater cities in Europe. We retrieved the cities and greater cities from the Urban Audit 2018 dataset and did the analysis at a 250 m grid cell level for 2015 data based on the global human settlement layer residential population. We estimated the annual premature mortality burden preventable if the WHO recommended values (ie, 10 μg/m³ for PM_2·5 and 40 μg/m³ for NO₂) were achieved and if air pollution concentrations were reduced to the lowest values measured in 2015 in European cities (ie, 3·7 μg/m³ for PM_2·5 and 3·5 μg/m³ for NO₂). We clustered and ranked the cities on the basis of population and age-standardised mortality burden associated with air pollution exposure. In addition, we did several uncertainty and sensitivity analyses to test the robustness of our estimates.

FINDINGS

Compliance with WHO air pollution guidelines could prevent 51 213 (95% CI 34 036-68 682) deaths per year for PM_2·5 exposure and 900 (0-2476) deaths per year for NO₂ exposure. The reduction of air pollution to the lowest measured concentrations could prevent 124 729 (83 332-166 535) deaths per year for PM_2·5 exposure and 79 435 (0-215 165) deaths per year for NO₂ exposure. A great variability in the preventable mortality burden was observed by city, ranging from 0 to 202 deaths per 100 000 population for PM_2·5 and from 0 to 73 deaths for NO₂ per 100 000 population when the lowest measured concentrations were considered. The highest PM_2·5 mortality burden was estimated for cities in the Po Valley (northern Italy), Poland, and Czech Republic. The highest NO₂ mortality burden was estimated for large cities and capital cities in western and southern Europe. Sensitivity analyses showed that the results were particularly sensitive to the choice of the exposure response function, but less so to the choice of baseline mortality values and exposure assessment method.

INTERPRETATION

A considerable proportion of premature deaths in European cities could be avoided annually by lowering air pollution concentrations, particularly below WHO guidelines. The mortality burden varied considerably between European cities, indicating where policy actions are more urgently needed to reduce air pollution and achieve sustainable, liveable, and healthy communities. Current guidelines should be revised and air pollution concentrations should be reduced further to achieve greater protection of health in cities.

FUNDING

Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Internal ISGlobal fund.

A call for urgent action to safeguard our planet and our health in line with the helsinki declaration

In 2015, the Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet Commission launched a report introducing a novel approach called Planetary Health and proposed a concept, a strategy and a course of action. To discuss the concept of Planetary Health in the context of Europe, a conference entitled: "Europe That Protects: Safeguarding Our Planet, Safeguarding Our Health" was held in Helsinki in December 2019. The conference participants concluded with a need for action to support Planetary Health during the 2020s. The Helsinki Declaration emphasizes the urgency to act as scientific evidence shows that human activities are causing climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, overuse of natural resources and pollution. They threaten the health and safety of human kind. Global, regional, national, local and individual initiatives are called for and multidisciplinary and multisectorial actions and measures are needed. A framework for an action plan is suggested that can be modified for local needs. Accordingly, a shift from fragmented approaches to policy and practice towards systematic actions will promote human health and health of the planet. Systems thinking will feed into conserving nature and biodiversity, and into halting climate change. The Planetary Health paradigm ‒ the health of human civilization and the state of natural systems on which it depends ‒ must become the driver for all policies.

The Relationship between City Size and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Concentration and Their Effect on Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

Generally, larger cities are characterized by traffic congestion, which is associated with higher concentrations of pollution, including Carbon Monoxide (CO) pollution. However, this convention requires empirical support on the basis of accurate and reliable measurements. In addition, the assessment of the effect of CO on the autonomic nervous system (ANS), as measured by heart rate variability (HRV), has yielded conflicting results. A majority of the (few) studies on the topic have shown that increases in CO concentration of up to about 10 parts per million (ppm) are associated with a decrease in stress and risk to health in subjects. Beyond the hypothesis postulating city size as a determinant of increased CO concentration, the hypothesis proposing a causal link between CO concentration and HRV balance also requires empirical support. This article compares CO concentrations in a large metropolis with those in a small town, analyzing the relationship between CO and the HRV responses of young women in terms of city size. Four different types of environments were compared, taking into account mediating variables. The study participants spent 35 min in selected environments (a city center, a residential environment, a park, and a home) wearing Polar devices to measure HRV, and portable devices to measure noise thermal load and CO. The average concentrations of CO in each environment were calculated, along with the time distribution of the CO concentration, and the regression slopes between the concentrations of CO and the ANS balance, as measured by the low frequency power/high frequency power ratio (LF/HF) expressed as an HRV index. The results show that, regardless of size, the cities measured were all characterized by low levels of CO, far below the maximal accepted threshold standards, and that urban residents were exposed to these concentrations for less than half of the daytime hours. Furthermore, in contrast to the common view, larger cities do not necessarily accumulate higher concentrations of CO compared to small cities, regardless of the level of transport congestion. This study confirms the findings of the majority of the other studies on the subject, which showed a decrease in stress (as measured by HRV) as a result of an increase in CO concentrations below 7 ppm. Finally, following the assessment of the differential contribution attributed to the different environmental factors, it appears that noise, thermal load, and congestion all contribute more to a higher level of HRV balance than CO. This finding highlights the importance of a multivariable approach to the study, and a remediation of the effect of environmental factors on stress in urban environments.

A Computer Tool for Modelling CO2 Emissions in Driving Tests for Vehicles with Diesel Engines

The dynamic development of transport in recent decades reflects the level of economic development in the world. The transport sector today is one of the main barriers to the achievement of the European Union’s climate protection objectives. More and more restrictive legal regulations define permissible emission limits for the amounts of toxic substances emitted into the atmosphere. Numerical CO2 modeling tools are one way to replace costly on-road testing. Driving cycles, which are an approximation of the vehicle’s on-road operating conditions, are the basis of any vehicle approval procedure. The paper presents a computer tool that uses neural networks to simulate driving tests. Data obtained from tests on the Mercedes E350 chassis dynamometer were used for the construction of the neural model. All the collected operational parameters of the vehicle, which are the input data for the built model, were used to create simulation control runs for driving tests: Environmental Protection Agency, Supplemental Federal Test Procedure, Highway Fuel Economy Driving Schedule, Federal Test Procedure, New European Driving Cycle, Random Cycle Low, Random Cycle High, Mobile Air Conditioning Test Procedure, Common Artemis Driving Cycles, Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Vehicle Test Procedure. Using the developed computer simulation tool, the impact on CO2 emissions was analyzed in the context of driving tests of four types of fuels: Diesel, Fatty Acid Methyl Esters, rapeseed oil, butanol (butyl alcohol). As a result of the processing of this same computer tool, mass consumption of fuels and CO2 emissions were analyzed in driving tests for the given analyzed vehicle.

Informal urbanism in the state of uncertainty: forms of informality and urban health emergencies

Forms of informality—ranging from informal settlements to street vending and informal transport—have become integral, yet not necessarily limited to how cities of the global South work. Our aim in this paper is to explore the dynamics of informal urbanism in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent to which forms of informality can adapt in the state of uncertainty. This paper lies in the intersections of informal urbanism and urban design in relation to public health emergencies. This is an exploratory paper in nature, structured in three main sections to focus on the implications of the Coronavirus pandemic on informal settlements, street vending, and informal transport, respectively. We point to how different forms of informality work across cities and conclude by outlining some key considerations and discussing the role of urban design in addressing the capacities and challenges of informal urbanism in the state of uncertainty facing public health emergencies such as the Coronavirus pandemic.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour related to transport activity assessed with multiple body-worn accelerometers: the RECORD MultiSensor Study

OBJECTIVES

The study explored the physical activity and sedentary behaviours related to transport activity. The aim was to provide evidence to support public health and transport policies encouraging people to reach daily recommendations of physical activity.

STUDY DESIGN

The study design of this study is a cross-sectional study design.

METHODS

Between 2013 and 2015, the RECORD MultiSensor Study collected data from 155 participants using two accelerometers worn on the thigh and trunk. In addition, data were collected from Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and a GPS-based mobility survey. Relationships between transport modes and the durations and partition patterns of physical behaviours were established at the trip stage (n = 7692) and trip levels (n = 4683) using multilevel linear models with a random effect at the individual level and taking into account temporal autocorrelation.

RESULTS

Participants travelled for a median of 1 h 45 min per day. Trip stages and trips involving walking, other active modes or public transport were associated with a lower sitting duration and a higher moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) duration than trips with a personal motorised vehicle. Using public transport was associated with a lower number of transitions between sedentary behaviours and non-sedentary behaviours, and with a higher number of transitions between non-sedentary behaviours and MVPA than relying on a private motorised vehicle.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to assess the association of transport mode with physical activity and sedentary behaviours captured with thigh- and trunk-worn accelerometers at both the trip stage and trip levels. The results demonstrate that, in addition to active transport modes, encouraging people to use public transport increases physical activity and reduces sedentary time.

Walkable Urban Environments: An Ergonomic Approach of Evaluation

Background. The salutogenicity of urban environments is significantly affected by their ergonomics, i.e., by the quality of the interactions between citizens and the elements of the built environment. Measuring and modelling urban ergonomics is thus a key issue to provide urban policy makers with planning solutions to increase the well-being, usability and safety of the urban environment. However, this is a difficult task due to the complexity of the interrelations between the urban environment and human activities. The paper contributes to the definition of a generalized model of urban ergonomics and salutogenicity, focusing on walkability, by discussing the relevant parameters from the large and variegated sets proposed in the literature, by discussing the emerging model structure from a data mining process, by considering the background of the relevant functional dependency already established in the literature, and by providing evidence of the solutions’ effectiveness. The methodology is developed for a case study in central Italy, with a focus on the mobility issue, which is a catalyst to generate more salutogenic and sustainable behaviors.

Small and Light Electric Vehicles: An Analysis of Feasible Transport Impacts and Opportunities for Improved Urban Land Use

Improvements in battery technology have resulted in small and light electric vehicles (LEVs) appearing on the market in Europe since 2011—however, their market share is still comparatively low. Low energy requirements and small size can potentially contribute to sustainable mobility in terms of climate protection and reduced local emissions. Our study evaluates how three-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles, categorised as L-Class according to Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, can contribute to more efficient use of space in urban areas. Evaluations of expert interviews, an extensive literature research, and analyses of the German national household travel survey (MiD) serve as the basis of the study. First, the substitution potential of trips through LEVs is explored using MiD data. Our findings show that between 17% and 49% of trips made and 6% to 30% of the distance covered by private trips can theoretically be substituted by LEVs. Thus, reorganisation of current land use offers potential and additionally, LEVs are an attractive and sustainable addition to other means of transport and contribute to achieving the climate protection goals of the transport sector. Due to the fact that technology application is restricted by travel behaviour and political support, our study discusses possible support by public bodies towards sustainable mobility. Here, the promotion of LEVs in combination with restrictive measures for cars is necessary.

What we can learn from birdsong: Mainstreaming teleworking in a post-pandemic world

Many urban areas suffer from poor air quality as a consequence of high levels of car-based traffic. Even cities with well-developed multi-modal public transport networks and favourable conditions for alternative transportation, such as Barcelona, experience problems with air pollution. The restrictions imposed on movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic offer insights into the collective social benefits of reduced traffic. This situation also provided much-needed evidence about teleworking that will indicate whether it could become a mainstream and institutionalised practice in certain professions. In Barcelona, the experience of a less polluted, quieter and more liveable city has inspired both the municipal government and the citizens to rethink the use of public spaces and look for ways to reduce car dependency. We argue that this unprecedented crisis is an opportunity to create a more sustainable future of work and mobility in cities in the post-pandemic world.