Against a background of global climate change, healthier cities and communities are shaped by taking tough decisions on issues such as air quality, resilience planning, spatial strategies, working practices, active travel, sustainable homes and green spaces. How can we design a thriving, health-inducing future for all citizens – and avoid a dystopian alternative where our cities descend into crisis and chaos?
Our planet is changing in unprecedented ways and which directly threaten human health. Such changes also bring opportunities to protect and improve health, if we can respond appropriately. Since 2015, the Wellcome Trust’s ‘Our Planet, Our Health’ programme has supported a community of researchers in taking on the challenges that food systems, increasing urbanisation, and climate change pose to our health.
Research carried out a couple of years ago by Ipsos MORI and experts for Innovate UK found that citizens want technology to make life in our future cities easier, but they also want equality of access and social interaction to be prioritised. This keynote will build on this research and give delegates insight into citizens’ views of cities across the globe.
