Building Healthy Cities: Navigating the Intersection of Sustainable Urban Planning and Health Inequalities
Learning about sustainable cities in one of my electives this semester, titled ‘Regenerating Place’, has really opened my eyes to the transformative potential of sustainable urban planning, particularly in the context of health inequalities. This course involved group collaboration to come up with regeneration projects focused on an Edinburgh neighbourhood, whilst seeking to incorporate elements of sustainability and justice and aiming to address issues holistically.
This class really got me thinking about what sustainable urban planning really involves, and how issues of health inequalities should be better addressed in urban planning initiatives. The impact of urban planning on public health is often overlooked, however, the content of this course really emphasised how fostering strong social networks, and supporting mental health in urban planning can hugely impact the overall health of a neighbourhood. Recognising the interconnectedness of social structures and health outcomes is essential, and initiatives should aim to bridge the gap between the built environment and health disparities within communities.
For example, using green infrastructure in cities obviously adds to its aesthetic appearance, but beyond this, it can contribute to increased biodiversity, and cleaner air, and water – all contributing to improved physical health. Thus, there are real and material impacts to these initiatives, and including seemingly simple aspects in urban planning projects can make large differences in overall health. For this class, I read some of Ecopolis by Downton (2009), which argued that ‘our biggest impact on the world is through our cities and built environments’, and that city-making is really about the creation and management of complex living systems. Achieving what he describes as an ‘ecopolis’ will require social, political, and cultural change, integrating the biosphere into the core of city building. A simple manifestation of this would be to increase greenspace, which works to improve holistic health for local residents, whilst also improving the environmental and planetary health of the area.
Additionally, good quality greenspace can be used in more deprived communities to foster health improvements. However, it is also important to note that this should not be the entire initiative and used as a scapegoat to avoid addressing more systemic causes of health inequalities. Furthermore, green gentrification is a large concern that has preoccupied my attention a lot this semester. As mentioned above, improving both the aesthetic appearance of an area, and fostering better health and community, can be useful in improving quality of life in neighbourhoods with high levels of deprivation. However, this can also result in green gentrification, where desirability increases with these aesthetic changes and housing prices rise, pushing pre-existing residents out of the area. Thus, finding ways to account for this in urban planning is really important, such as through housing price regulation and making areas ‘just green enough’ to avoid these issues. I’d be really interested in exploring this in more depth for my project. To truly address health disparities, urban planning initiatives must grapple with systemic causes.
As we shape the future of our cities, it is important not to overlook the profound impact urban planning can have on health. By embracing the principles discussed in this course, there is an opportunity to not only create sustainable urban landscapes but also pave the way for a healthier, more equitable future. Our cities hold the key to a healthier, more equitable future. Embracing the principles learned in this course is an opportunity not just to create sustainable urban landscapes but also to tackle health inequalities at their roots. In building a project related to addressing health inequalities, I’d really love to find a way to integrate ideas of sustainable urban planning, contributing to the planning of a healthier, more inclusive future.
