Site Designed and developed by Avec Solutions
Menu
Belfast Healthy Cities is a member of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network and is currently delivering programmes in Phase VII (2019-2025). The key themes of Phase VII are the 6Ps, Peace, People, Place, Planet, Prosperity and Participation. The PLANET theme focuses on working to ensure the health of both people and the planet are at the centre of cities internal and external policies.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Climate change is the long-term shift in global weather patterns and temperature. These changes can be due to natural causes such as large volcanic eruptions or the sun’s solar activity, however, since the 1800s human activity has been the main causes of the changes seen today. Burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas generates greenhouse gas emissions which trap the sun’s heat around the earth raising temperatures. This not only causes warmer temperatures, but has other knock-on effects such as more severe weather events, intense droughts, flooding, and biodiversity loss.1 Climate change will affect Northern Ireland in many ways. The average annual temperature is set to continue to increase and the 21st century has already been warmer than the previous three centuries. Data from the mid-1970s to mid-2010s and from 2010-2019 shows an increase of 6.4% in the annual mean rainfall in Northern Ireland. Also, in Belfast, sea level has already begun to rise.2 It is predicted in Northern Ireland climate change will continue to impact weather and temperatures. By the 2050s data predicts annual temperatures will increase by at least 1.1 C, reaching an increase of at least 2.1 C into the 2080s. Also, over the next several years leading into the 2050s, we will see hotter dryer summers and warmer wetter winters, the extremes of which will be dependent on how successful we are with reducing greenhouse gas emissions.2 All of this may have a devastating impact and knockoff effects on people, food supplies and ecosystems.
Changes in temperatures and weather patterns due to climate change will impact Northern Ireland in a variety of ways, including having a negative impact on human health, especially for the most vulnerable population groups. ‘At risk’ groups include women, children, older people, people who are less able to adapt their behaviour, those with health complications, living with a disability or who are from a lower socioeconomic background.
For example, floods and extreme weather events will increase risk of injury, and death.3 Flooding can have a negative impact on human health by increasing the risk of injury and morbidities associated with extreme rainfall and urgent displacement. This can include from physical injury through contact with water, damaged infrastructure and drowning.4 Also, pooling water and environmental damage left behind by these events will raise the risk for contaminated drinking water supplies, litter, and sewage, which puts populations at danger for waterborne illness and infectious disease.3 For example, in Europe recent flooding has been associated with outbreaks of West Nile virus and diarrhoeal diseases.4
These extreme weather events cause additional stress and anxiety, which has both short term and long-term mental health effects. For instance, flooding events can also have a major impact on mental health and increases risk of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorders associated with the mental impacts of experiencing displacement, disruption to life and health services and secondary stressors due to dealing with the aftermath of flooding damage and distress.4 This can also lead to an increased risk of other health problems such as coronary heart disease or heart attacks associated with long term stress.3
Furthermore, heatwaves are expected to become more frequent as a result of climate change. The Department of Health and Social Care in England classifies heatwaves as when daytime average temperatures of 30C and 15C averages at night, are occurring daily, more often than not, over the course of several days . Changing temperatures such as heatwaves can cause excess mortality, with the highest number of deaths due to cardiovascular or respiratory disease.3 Increasing temperatures will have a particular effect and higher risk for individuals with chronic health conditions and older persons.5 Warmer temperatures will also expand the risk of food poisoning, lengthen pollen seasons, and risk new vector borne diseases (Vector-borne diseases are infections transmitted to humans through bites from insects like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, which carry harmful viruses, bacteria, or parasites) entering Northern Ireland. Warmer summers will encourage people to spend more time outdoors, which is positive for physical activity and the economy but will heighten sun exposure and risk of developing skin cancer.3 Outdoor workers will be at a particular risk for heat related impacts of climate change and their health. Collectively, these additional health impacts will have other indirect effects such that they will put further strain on the already stressed healthcare system and likely negatively impact areas such as delayed or lack of access to emergency services and critical care, especially during emergency weather events.3
Moreover, cities will be the most susceptible to heat related health effects of climate change, due to the Urban Heat Island Effect. Cities are more densely populated and made of manmade materials, such as roads and buildings, which absorb and retain heat more than natural surfaces. This effect can increase the temperature in areas of some cities, making them 12 C warmer than surrounding rural areas.6 The retention of heat also contributes to higher temperatures at night, when temperatures would typically cool down to offer relief to people and energy systems. This phenomenon is known as the Urban Heat Island Effect. Ways to improve infrastructure and support people in urban areas from the effects of the Urban Heat Island Effect includes increasing green spaces, green roofs, green walls vegetation, such as tree canopies and using more heat reflective surfaces such as white coloured roof materials .6 For example, Copenhagen, a WHO Healthy City, has incorporated green roofs as part of its Climate Plan for the City and since 2010 green roofs are now mandatory on new local plans. Green roofs are roofs covered in vegetation such as mosses, herbs, shrubs, trees or perennials. This vegetation creates habitats for animals and plants while supporting biodiversity. These roofs are also able to absorb large amounts of rainwater and even delay water on its way to sewers, which is particularly important during periods of heavy rain. These roofs don’t absorb heat as well as other materials such as typical black roof materials, which thus reduces heat in buildings during summer months and lessens retention of heat in the surrounding environment caused by the Urban Heat Island Effect.7
There are many ways in which climate change can impact the health of both people and the planet, and it will become increasingly important to understand these impacts and both mitigation and adaptation measures such as green roofs.
Adaptation and mitigation efforts to fight Climate change are also an opportunity to prioritise policy and practices with co health benefits, such as active travel and greening projects.
Active travel provides health, environmental and economic benefits. For example, in Belfast each year walking, wheeling and cycling has prevented 707 serious long term health conditions. Walking has prevented 588 serious long-term conditions and 131 early deaths annually, which has in turned saved the NHS in Belfast £7.3 million per year, the equivalent of 180,000 GP appointments. While cycling has also prevented 12 early deaths annually and 119 serious long term health conditions which has saved the NHS in Belfast an additional £1.5 million per year the same as 38,000 GP appointments.8
Also, it is recommended that children aged 5-18 should obtain at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity across the week and adults aged 19 to 64 need at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity and 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity.9 Evidence demonstrates active travel can assist individuals with reaching the minimum levels of recommended physical activity across all age groups. Meeting the physical activity requirements can help reduce the incidence and severity of health conditions such as stroke, type II diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer, especially among older populations.10 It is also particularly important for providing children with a healthy start in life and ensuring they grow into healthy adults. Active travel projects as was well as community level programmes such as Belfast Healthy Cities, Walking Buses, offer opportunities to prioritise active travel and help individuals incorporate walking, wheeling and cycling into their daily lives.
Moreover, prioritising active travel can reduce air pollution levels as the numbers of cars on the road decreases. This will have a positive impact on population health, especially children, young people, the elderly and those with preexisting conditions such as asthma. Exposure to air pollution is a risk factor for stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and COPD and an increased risk of mortality caused by these diseases. Short-term exposure to air pollution can reduce lung function, lead to respiratory infection and aggravate existing lung conditions such as asthma.11 Overall, active travel is a climate change intervention with positive health impacts and can assist individuals with living longer healthier lives.
Furthermore, reducing emissions and lowering air pollution levels by prioritising active travel has environmental benefits as well as health benefits. In Belfast, walking and wheeling has saved 8,800 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually and improved air quality by saving 3,400 kg of particulates and 26,000 kg of NOx. Likewise, cycling has saved 9,900 kg of NOx, 1,300 kg of particulates and 4,600 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.8 Additional benefits of walking and cycling, include increasing time spent outdoors which is positive for mental and physical health. Furthermore, active travel projects often involve making changes to infrastructure and local areas, that have the potential to improve the quality of neighbourhood design and promote environments that can better connect people to other people, places and opportunities. Prioritising active travel takes cars off our roads, which helps mitigate climate change through reduced emissions and improved air quality, which also improves health and traffic congestion.8 Thus, active travel is one of many examples of how climate change can be used as an opportunity to make positive changes within communities to protect the health of people and the planet.
Additionally, greening projects are an example of measures that can also benefit both people and planetary health. For example, trees, soil and vegetation can sustainably capture and store carbon. This is particularly important in urban areas, for instance in Beijing green spaces have estimated to have stored 956 000 tonnes of carbon and in Rome four parks have isolated 664-998 Mg of Co2 per hectare per year. Also, urban green and blue spaces can improve water quality, through urban forests and urban wetland restoration.12 In both urban and rural areas green infrastructure can also play a part in flood mitigation and adaptation measures. Vegetation such as trees and green roofs or walls can also provide shade to both people and buildings. This will assist with reducing the effects of heat related illnesses as well as make building more energy efficient through reduced demand for air conditioning which will cut buildings carbon footprints, as this energy is often produced through a non-renewable source.
As well as the environmental benefits, urban green and blue spaces can also benefit human health. For example, street trees can reduce human exposure to environmental stressors that harm health such by reducing exposure to noise and air pollution. Also improving access to urban green and blue spaces provides individuals with more space for physical activity and social interaction, which are all good for physical and mental health. Spending time outdoors has been shown to have many mental health benefits and is considered a protective measure against poor mental health. This is particularly important for groups such as children, teenagers and those from lower socioeconomic groups.12 Many studies have demonstrated a positive association with greener living environments and mental wellbeing. For children this has been linked to greener environments and improved emotional wellbeing, higher health related quality of life, reduced stress and improved resilience. In adults, nature in the urban environment has been linked to higher life satisfaction, improved self-rated stress and mental health and a reduction in overall mental distress. Likewise, spending time in nature and feeling connected to the natural world can improve life satisfaction and reduce stress , which has additional benefits to both mental and physical health.13
Recent research by Queen’s University Belfast studied the association between inequalities in the amount of green space and preventable deaths across areas of the United Kingdom who have different scores in the Index of Multiple Deprivation. The percentage of grassland in urban areas in Northern Ireland, Scotland and England was much lower in the most deprived areas. In England, Northern Ireland and Scotland the study found a 1% increase in grassland areas was associated with a reduction in annual preventable deaths of 37% within the most deprived urbans areas. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, a 1% increase in grassland areas was also associated with a reduction in 5 year accumulated preventable deaths in the most deprived urbans areas by 41%.14 Evidence from this study helps support the need for more climate solutions focused on greening projects, which increase urban green space especially in the most deprived communities to improve health outcomes.
Urban green spaces can also become places to promote more sustainable food systems and improve access to healthier food options. Through the use of rooftop gardens, edible street landscapes and community gardens. And when designed with a sustainable environmental lens urban green and blue spaces can also have a positive impact on biodiversity, climate mitigation and local ecosystems. Social farms and Gardens are a charity across the United Kingdom that supports communities with growing, gardening and farming together. Its vision “is to see people and communities reaching their full potential through nature-based activities as a part of everyday life.”.15 These activities support health and wellbeing as well as climate resilience. For example, our neighbouring Derry and Strabane Healthy City and District “Developing Healthy Communities,” has worked with Social Farms & Gardens and other partners on The Acorn Farm Project. This project helps 260 families grow their own fruits and vegetables with help from mentors who introduce them to basics of at home food production. The project aims to change the food system toward local food production and support urban growing spaces and is continuing to expand its services.16 In Belfast, Social Farms and Gardens has worked with Belfast City Council to establish and join the Sustainable Food Places Partnership in Belfast, which makes healthy and sustainable food a defining characteristic of living in Belfast.17 These projects are examples of how greening projects can be created in urban areas to promote health through increasing access to healthy food options as well support climate friendly sustainable food production by promoting local growing.
All in all, green and blue spaces especially in urban areas have many benefits to human health but can also work to mitigate and adapt populations to climate change, making them another example of a priority area for promoting health of both people and the planet.
Work is already being done across the globe within policies and projects that promote people and planetary health, through climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. For example, the WHO Healthy City of Barcelona is known as one of the highest population and traffic dense cities in Europe. Famous for its innovative Superblock model design which seeks to take back public open space for people and reduce motorised transport in support of sustainable travel and active lifestyles, while providing more urban greening and mitigating the effects of climate change. Recently the model has adopted a Eixos Verds Plan (“Green Axis” Plan) which sets out to increase street greening throughout the city as a way to, improve biodiversity and promote climate resilience while protecting against air pollution, noise pollution and increasing temperatures.18
Currently over 80% of Barcelona’s population lives in areas with green space below the WHO recommended universal access to green space of at least 0.5ha within a 300m distance from residences. And only 11% of the city is made up of designated urban green space. The Eixos Verds will include extensive street greening, expand current pedestrian networks and diverse urban elements such as playgrounds, leisure equipment, and cycling infrastructure.18 This plan could also have many economic and environmental impacts. Also, a health impact assessment was conducted to estimate the impact Eixos Verds will have particularly on adult mental health. The study predicts that making these changes within the city will reduce self-perceived poor health, antidepressant use, and visits to mental health specialists by 14% each and use of tranquilliser / sedatives by 8%. The most benefits will be seen in the centre of the city which currently is the most densely populated, has the highest traffic densities and the least amount of green space. Also, past studies have found that in the city 740 annual cases of depression could be linked back to lack of green space, estimates for the implementation of the Eixos Verds propose over 13,000 annual cases of the use of antidepressants will be prevented after the plan has been fully implemented.18 Thus, WHO Healthy City Barcelona serves as an example of how urban design can put cities at the forefront of climate change mitigation and adaptation while also improving health through the benefits of urban greening.
In conclusion, climate change may have negative impacts on Northern Ireland’s environment and health of its citizens. However, climate change adaption and mitigation efforts offer a unique opportunity to build more resilient and healthy communities. By focusing on climate solutions with both environmental and human health benefits, such as active travel and greening, communities can protect themselves against the effects of climate change while also creating environments that promote more physical activity, encourage social connections, priorities healthy food, improve local environments and foster positive mental well-being. And cities across the world serve as great examples for how this can go from policy to practice and focus on prioritising people and planetary health.
Contact: maeve@belfasthealthycities.com
References: