Periodic Reporting for period 1 - UBDPOLICY (THE URBAN BURDEN OF DISEASE ESTIMATION FOR POLICY MAKING)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-01-01 al 2024-06-30
Over 70% of Europe's population lives in urban areas, which drive innovation and wealth but also contribute significantly to pollution and disease. Comprehensive health and socioeconomic impact estimates of urban and transport planning are scarce, and there are no consistent data to track changes over time. Policy and decision-makers need better insights into these impacts, relationships, and alternative scenarios to support healthier urban and transport planning. The UBDPolicy project aims to improve health impact and socioeconomic cost-benefit estimation of environmental stressors, enhance methodological approaches, and promote best practices in urban planning. It will produce health and socio-economic estimates for nearly 1,000 European cities, updated every three years, focusing on stressors like air pollution, noise, heat, and green space. Detailed assessments will be conducted for 11 case study cities: Barcelona, Basel, Bradford, Brussels, Copenhagen, Greater Manchester, Munich, Sofia, Utrecht, Warsaw, and Zagreb.
During this period, WP1, WP2, WP3, WP5, and WP6 have hosted multiple workshops, underscoring their commitment to stakeholder engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration. These workshops are crucial as they facilitate the exchange of expertise, refine research objectives, and ensure that the project's outputs are aligned with the needs and perspectives of various stakeholders, thereby enhancing the impact and applicability of the project findings in policy-making.
WP1 is synthesizing evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the link between long-term exposure to environmental health determinants (air pollution, noise, heat, greenspace, blue space, and physical activity) and mortality. This umbrella review is detailed in the registered protocol on PROSPERO. WP1 collaborates with WHO's EMAPEC project for insights and tools. A workshop on Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of urban and transport planning was held to identify knowledge gaps and set a research agenda. Another workshop on exposure-response functions is planned for September.
WP2 conducted a comprehensive review of HIA indicators (DALYs, QALYs, individual diseases) and examined well-being in environmental HIA, focusing on definitions, applications, and supporting evidence. In March 2024, a workshop with experts and stakeholders discussed HIA indicators and well-being. The workshop report is completed, and a scientific paper is being prepared. WP2 also drafted evaluations of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on HIA for 2022 and a preliminary draft on incorporating equity into HIA.
WP3 focused on developing the theoretical framework for Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA), a continually refined effort. Additionally, WP3 investigated sustainable transport policies in UK cities, analyzing opposition discourses to air pollution restrictions. A paper based on this work is in its second review. WP3 also organized a scientific workshop on CBA and transport in April 2024 and is planning the next one for December 2024.
WP4 has linked environmental data to 826 cities, including NO2 and PM2.5 air pollution data for 2015 and 2018. Population density metrics were refined using Global Human Settlement Layer and Urban Atlas data. A biodiversity index for Europe is being developed, and updates to 2021 air pollution models are in progress.
WP5 developed HIA and SEIA protocols for nearly 1,000 European cities and 11 case studies, collecting data on population, mortality, and environmental factors. Future urban and transport planning scenarios are being formulated, with workshops planned in Barcelona (October 2023) and Sofia (July 2024). Data collection covers population health, environmental conditions, physical activity, travel patterns, and socio-economic factors. Key achievements include completing the 2015 and 2018 population and mortality database, policy development documentation, stakeholder workshops, and a document on integrating equity and gender perspectives.
WP6 mapped policies and stakeholders, focusing on case study cities. This included stakeholder engagement through workshops in Brussels (December 2023), Zagreb (February 2024), Warsaw (May 2024), and a webinar on World Cities Day (October 2023). These activities informed target groups about the project's objectives and gathered expert insights for the HIA and CBA.
WP7 ensured overall project management and scientific coordination, meeting deadlines and promoting synergies across all WPs through regular meetings. Additionally, WP7 managed external communication effectively.
WP1 is synthesizing evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the link between long-term exposure to environmental health determinants (air pollution, noise, heat, greenspace, blue space, and physical activity) and mortality. This umbrella review is detailed in the registered protocol on PROSPERO. WP1 collaborates with WHO's EMAPEC project for insights and tools. A workshop on Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of urban and transport planning was held to identify knowledge gaps and set a research agenda. Another workshop on exposure-response functions is planned for September.
WP2 conducted a comprehensive review of HIA indicators (DALYs, QALYs, individual diseases) and examined well-being in environmental HIA, focusing on definitions, applications, and supporting evidence. In March 2024, a workshop with experts and stakeholders discussed HIA indicators and well-being. The workshop report is completed, and a scientific paper is being prepared. WP2 also drafted evaluations of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on HIA for 2022 and a preliminary draft on incorporating equity into HIA.
WP3 focused on developing the theoretical framework for Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA), a continually refined effort. Additionally, WP3 investigated sustainable transport policies in UK cities, analyzing opposition discourses to air pollution restrictions. A paper based on this work is in its second review. WP3 also organized a scientific workshop on CBA and transport in April 2024 and is planning the next one for December 2024.
WP4 has linked environmental data to 826 cities, including NO2 and PM2.5 air pollution data for 2015 and 2018. Population density metrics were refined using Global Human Settlement Layer and Urban Atlas data. A biodiversity index for Europe is being developed, and updates to 2021 air pollution models are in progress.
WP5 developed HIA and SEIA protocols for nearly 1,000 European cities and 11 case studies, collecting data on population, mortality, and environmental factors. Future urban and transport planning scenarios are being formulated, with workshops planned in Barcelona (October 2023) and Sofia (July 2024). Data collection covers population health, environmental conditions, physical activity, travel patterns, and socio-economic factors. Key achievements include completing the 2015 and 2018 population and mortality database, policy development documentation, stakeholder workshops, and a document on integrating equity and gender perspectives.
WP6 mapped policies and stakeholders, focusing on case study cities. This included stakeholder engagement through workshops in Brussels (December 2023), Zagreb (February 2024), Warsaw (May 2024), and a webinar on World Cities Day (October 2023). These activities informed target groups about the project's objectives and gathered expert insights for the HIA and CBA.
WP7 ensured overall project management and scientific coordination, meeting deadlines and promoting synergies across all WPs through regular meetings. Additionally, WP7 managed external communication effectively.
The project will advance current knowledge by estimating the health and socioeconomic impacts of environmental stressors over multiple years, monitoring trends in European cities, and introducing innovative indicators. It will improve methodologies, standards, and indicators while engaging experts and stakeholders to promote best practices. A comprehensive FAIR database will be created, detailing environmental stressors and their impacts over time. Additionally, UBDPolicy will establish a comprehensive burden of disease and policy framework. This will assist public authorities in framing health and socio-economic impact assessments. Stakeholder workshops will ensure the data is useful for decision-makers, fostering support for health-protective policies. The project will also provide socioeconomic impact estimates for cost-benefit analyses of new interventions, publishing policy briefs to aid decision-making.