10.E. Workshop: SDGs as a roadmap for Citizens, Environment and Public Health
Authors:   Organised by: EUPHA-ENV,   Chair persons: Gianfranco Damiani (Italy), Marija Jevtic (EUPHA-ENV)
Published: October 2021

Sustainability, especially in an era of growth health inequality, is one of the most important challenges facing health systems around the world. Environmental sustainability is responsibly interacting with the planet to maintain natural resources and not jeopardize the ability for future generations to meet their needs. The SDGs put environmental sustainability at the center of sustainable development. Environmental health is the branch of public health concerning all aspects of the natural and built environment affecting human health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health, as pollution, poverty and inadequate energy solution. Urban health is an intersectoral arena that links both the public health and the urban planning sectors, mainly captured by SDG3 and SDG11. Cities as human settlements, recognizes the transformative power of urbanization and represents a pivotal step to empower cities., and making a city “smarter”. Cities as human settlements, recognizes the transformative power of urbanization and represents a pivotal step to empower cities., and making a city “smarter”. There is a tight relationship between the concepts of environmental health and urban health. Urban health could be considered as a complex system since it deals with 15 out of 17 SDGs. Huge global changes are occurring on our planet in natural and urban environments. The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 is a strong reminder that urbanization has changed the way that people and communities live, work, and interact, and it is necessary to boost actions and policies aimed to transform our cities into healthier and “salutogenic” living environments.We shoudn't exclude energy issues -SDG 7, and presence of increasing poverty SDG1 in urban areas. It is essential to redesign the concept of public health in relation to the built environment and the contemporary cities adopting healthy urban planning and design strategies. The environment interacts with technology by providing the resources needed for technological development and is affected by the environmental impact of technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) might impact all aspects of sustainable development goals influencing the ability to meet all SDGs. Benefits from AI could be derived by the possibility of analyzing large-scale interconnected databases to develop joint actions focused on preserving the environment. The AI-based algorithms are now going beyond the provision of urban services and the maintenance of urban infrastructure, entering the realms of urban governance, planning, health, and safety. Thus, it is essential to leverage on the potential of AI and digital technologies in addressing the complex challenges of urban health. Smart Cities and AI brings a multidisciplinary, integrated approach, examining how the digital and physical worlds are converging.

Key messages

In pledging to achieve the SDGs, countries need to organize Urban Health initiatives to improve the built, social, economic, and physical environments promoting health and sustainability globally. Governments, private sector, civil societies and citizens alike to allow cities to become inclusive, safer, resilient and sustainable, which are driving forces to implement the development equation.