The Built Environment and One Health: Opportunities and Challenges

Dear Colleagues,

The impact of the built and natural environment on peoples' health and well-being is well documented. The design of a city, which is determined primarily by city planners, has a crucial impact on health equity and several social determinants of health. An intersectoral urban planning team might enable a better understanding of residents' needs and the city’s impact on their health and health equity. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) encourages the implementation of a process for healthy urban planning which focuses on people's needs, using the core values of 'Healthy Cities'—equity, intersectoral cooperation, community involvement and sustainability. In addition, the WHO encourages the use of the Health Impact Assessment tool for forecasting the health impact of newly planned projects.

The ‘one health’ approach has evolved in the last decade, and specifically after the COVID-19 pandemic. This approach sees human health as interconnected with the health of animals, plants, the environment and natural ecosystems. Healthy urban planning should consider the 'one health' approach by extending its list of partners and stakeholders. 

This Special Issue invites contributors to share their research on healthy urban planning and its impact on 'one health'. Original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: walkability and accessibility, for both human beings and animals, and participatory research on urban planning to increase residents’ opportunity to be physically active or their access to healthy and affordable food.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Milka Donchin
Guest Editor

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• healthy urban planning
• one health
• health impact assessment
• healthy cities
• walkability
• equity