Applied Research in Geographical Sciences

Applied Research in Geographical Sciences

Assessment of indicators for the creation of healthy and sustainable cities with an emphasis on the 2023 Agenda of the United Nations (Case Study: Shush Danyal City)

Author
Payame Noor University
Abstract
A healthy city is a city where the quality of life of citizens is high in all areas, including physical and mental health, social welfare, economic development, and environmental protection. This study evaluates the indicators of a healthy city in Shush Daniel using the Healthy City Index from the perspective of the United Nations' 2023 Agenda. The research is applied in purpose and quantitative in nature, conducted through a descriptive-analytical method. The statistical population included experts, planners, urban researchers, and specialists with comprehensive knowledge of Shush city, from which 30 individuals were purposefully selected to answer the questions. Binary logistic regression was employed to analyze the data and information. The results revealed that among the six main components, economic density and investment had the highest impact with an influence coefficient of 0.210, followed by health, welfare, and healthy citizens (0.203), creation of neighborhoods, infrastructure, and healthy housing (0.191), and a healthy environment (0.186). These factors had the most significant influence on creating a healthy and sustainable city in Shush. Out of 38 indicators, the 10 most important ones were identified, with the top three being physical and mental health of citizens (0.393), low levels of stress and anxiety in society (0.382), and provision of urban infrastructure and equipment (0.328). These indicators were found to be the most critical in establishing a healthy and sustainable city in Shush Daniel
Keywords

Assembly, G. (2016). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 17 December 2015. Global health and foreign policy A/RES/67/81. http://www. un. Org/en/ga/search/view_doc. asp.
Bai, Y., Zhang, Y., Zotova, O., Pineo, H., Siri, J., Liang, L., & Gong, P. (2022). Healthy cities initiative in China: Progress, challenges, and the way forward. The Lancet Regional Health–Western Pacific, 27(4), 15- 32. DOI:10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100539
Bornioli, A., & Subiza-Pérez, M. (2023). Restorative urban environments for healthy cities: A theoretical model for the study of restorative experiences in urban built settings. Landscape research, 48(1), 152-163. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2022.2124962
Capolongo, S., Rebecchi, A., Buffoli, M., Appolloni, L., Signorelli, C., Fara, G. M., & D’Alessandro, D. (2020). COVID-19 and cities: From urban health strategies to the pandemic challenge. A decalogue of public health opportunities. Acta Bio Medica: Atenei Parmensis, 91(2), 13. DOI: 10.23750/abm.v91i2.9615
Clark, L. P., Tabory, S., Tong, K., Servadio, J. L., Kappler, K., Xu, C. K., & Ramaswami, A. (2022). A data framework for assessing social inequality and equity in multi‐sector social, ecological, infrastructural urban systems: Focus on fine‐spatial scales. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 26(1), 145-163. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13222
De Lotto, R., Pietra, C., Sessi, M., & Venco, E. (2024). Strategies and Actions’ Definition for the New Territorial Government Plan of Voghera, Italy: Towards a Healthier City. Urban Science, 8(3), 87- 94. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030087
Silva, D. A. S., Aubert, S., Manyanga, T., Lee, E. Y., Salvo, D., & Tremblay, M. S. (2024). Physical activity report card indicators and the United Nations sustainable development goals: insights from Global Matrix 4.0. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 21(12), 1372-1381. DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2024-0442
Singh, S., & Beagley, J. (2017). Health and the new urban agenda: A mandate for action. The Lancet, 389(10071), 801-802. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30518-
Stevenson, M., Thompson, J., de Sá, T. H., Ewing, R., Mohan, D., McClure, R., ... & Woodcock, J. (2016). Land use, transport, and population health: estimating the health benefits of compact cities. The lancet, 388(10062), 2925-2935 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30067-8
Swilling, M, Hajer, M, Baynes, T, Bergesen, J, Labbé, F, Musango, JK, Ramaswami, A, Robinson, B, Salat, S, Suh, S, (2018), The weight of cities: resource requirements of future urbanization. In: A Report by the International Resource Panel: United Nations Environment Programme. United Nations Environment Programme. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60854-6
Giles-Corti, B., Lowe, M., & Arundel, J. (2022). Achieving the SDGs: Evaluating indicators to be used to benchmark and monitor progress towards creating healthy and sustainable cities. Health Policy, 124(6), 581-590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2019.03.001
Gehl, J. (2013). Cities for people. Island press. DOI: 10.4236/oalib.1110459
Gong, P., Liang, S., Carlton, E. J., Jiang, Q., Wu, J., Wang, L., & Remais, J. V. (2012). Urbanisation and health in China. The lancet, 379(9818), 843-852. . doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61878-3
Guo, Z., & Zhang, X. (2024). Has the healthy city pilot policy improved urban air quality in China? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment. Energy Economics, 129, 107-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2023.107260
Kickbusch, I. (2016). Global health governance challenges 2016–are we ready?. International journal of health policy and management, 5(6), 349.DOI:10.15171/ijhpm.2016.27
Kleinert, S., & Horton, R. (2016). Urban design: an important future force for health and wellbeing. The lancet, 388(10062), 2848-2850. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30066-6
Lowe, M., Whitzman, C., & Giles-Corti, B. (2018). Health-promoting spatial planning: approaches for strengthening urban policy integration. Planning theory & practice, 19(2), 180-197. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649357.2017.1407820
Mews, G. H., Muminovic, M., & Tranter, P. (2018). Time for action. Implementing the New Urban Agenda in public spaces for health and wellbeing. The Journal of Public Space, 3(1), 193-202.
Nations, U. (2017). New urban agenda. In Habitat III–The United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. DOI:10.5204/jps.v3i1.330
Rajagopalan, S., Ramaswami, A., Bhatnagar, A., Brook, R. D., Fenton, M., Gardner, C., & Whitsel, L. P. (2024). Toward Heart-Healthy and Sustainable Cities: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation, 149(15), 1067-1089. DOI:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001217
Ramaswami, A., Weible, C., Main, D., Heikkila, T., Siddiki, S., Duvall, A., & Bernard, M. (2012). A social‐ecological‐infrastructural systems framework for interdisciplinary study of sustainable city systems: An integrative curriculum across seven major disciplines. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 16(6), 801-8. DOI:10.1111/j.1530-9290.2012.00566.x
Ramaswami, A., Russell, A. G., Culligan, P. J., Sharma, K. R., & Kumar, E. (2016). Meta-principles for developing smart, sustainable, and healthy cities. Science, 352(6288), 940-943.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-9290.2012.00566.x
Rudnicka, E., Napierała, P., Podfigurna, A., Męczekalski, B., Smolarczyk, R., & Grymowicz, M. (2020). The World Health Organization (WHO) approach to healthy ageing. Maturitas, 139, 6-11. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2020.05.018
Tonne, C., Adair, L., Adlakha, D., Anguelovski, I., Belesova, K., Berger, M., & Adli, M. (2021). Defining pathways to healthy sustainable urban development. Environment international, 146, 106-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106236
Veal, C. (2017). Dance and wellbeing in Vancouver’s ‘A Healthy City for All’. Geoforum, 81, 11-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2017.01.016
Watts, N., Adger, W. N., Agnolucci, P., Blackstock, J., Byass, P., Cai, W., & Costello, A. (2015). Health and climate change: policy responses to protect public health. The lancet, 386(10006), 1861-1914. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60854-6.
World Health Organization. Centre for Health Development. (2020). Hidden cities: unmasking and overcoming health inequities in urban settings. World Health Organization. doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60854-6