Global report on urban health: equitable healthier cities for sustainable development

Overview

We are at an unprecedented moment in human development as the greatest migration in history unfolds around us. Less than a decade ago a majority of humankind still lived in the countryside, yet today a clear majority live in urban areas. By the deadline of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2030, 60% of all people will reside in cities, proportionally twice that of 1950. For most of us from now on, life and death will be an urban affair.

Practical, proven solutions exist to tackle these 21st century challenges. This report presents evidence that in cities, progress in health depends not only on the strength of health systems, but also on shaping urban environments. Capitalizing on such intrinsically linked factors leads to efficiency, synergies and co-benefits, and is essential to the attainment of the SDGs. The report presents examples of effective actions by cities and nations around the world and subsequent successes. At the same time, it underscores the persistence of inequity and how its root causes must fundamentally be addressed in order to achieve meaningful progress.

As the global community transitions hopefully into a new era of sustainable development, committed leadership is needed to create healthier, more equitable cities. This report should serve as a starting point for identifying the health challenge faced by hundreds of millions of vulnerable people currently living in cities around the world, as well as for crafting policies and actions for sustainable urban development for the majority of humanity who will reside in the cities of the future.