urban forests as a nature- based solution for improved ... · nature- based solution for improved...
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URBAN FORESTS AS A NATURE-BASED SOLUTION FOR IMPROVED HUMAN HEALTH
Matilda van den Bosch, MD, PhDD E P AR T M E N T O F F O R E S T AN D C O N S E R V AT I O N S C I E N C E SS C H O O L O F P O P U L AT I O N AN D P U B L I C H E AL T HT H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A, V AN C O U V E R , C AN AD A
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URBAN FORESTS AND HEALTH ARE INTEGRATED IN THE SDGs
Health Statistics and Informatics
Ten leading causes of burden of disease, world, 2004 and 2030
THE GLOBAL DISEASE SCENARIO
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NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES (NCDs) ARE A CHALLENGE FOR THE SDGs
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 includes target 3.4 to reduce premature NCD mortality by a third by 2030.
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CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH:“THE MAJOR THREAT OF THE 21ST CENTURY”
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AIR POLLUTION CAUSES 7 MILLION PREMATURE DEATHS ANNUALLY
(COHEN ET AL. 2017)
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URBAN HEAT ISLAND CAUSES MORE DEATHS THAN ALL OTHER WEATHER EVENTS COMBINED
(CDC, 2018)
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“ TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE COULD BE THE GREATEST GLOBAL HEALTH OPPORTUNITY
OF THE 21ST CENTURY.”
Urban forestsAccessibility, exposure
Physical activity
Stress reduction
Social contacts
Health outcomesCardiovascular diseasesDiabetesMental health Pregnancy outcomesMortalityAsthmaHeat related morbidity
Effect modifiers 1. Examples:Distance, weather, societal contextEffect modifiers 2. Examples: Gender, age, SES, context
Regulating Ecosystem Services• Cooling of cities• Storm-water runoff• Reduced air pollution• Providing microbiota
BIODIVERSITY
Adapted from Hartig et al. 2014
NCDs andclimate change relateddisorders can be mitigatedby urban forestry
Donovan et al. 2015Astell-Burt et al. 2014Annerstedt [van den Bosch] et al. 2012Glazer et al. 2018Crouse et al. 2017Sbihi et al. 2016Graham et al. 2016
Urban forests provide Ecosystem services
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Investing $100 millionannually in tree planting could
provide 77 million people with cooler cities and 68 million people with
cleaner air.Photo © iStock, Sean Pavone
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TREE PLANTING – SMALL BUT COST-EFFICIENT EFFECT ON AIR POLLUTION
Modest but significant reductions in mortality
McDonald et al. 2016. Planting Healthy Air. The Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org/healthyair
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URBAN TREE PLANTING IS AMONG THE MOST COST-EFFICIENT WAYS OF REDUCING
THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT
McDonald et al. 2016. Planting Healthy Air. The Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org/healthyair
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TREE PLANTING HAS A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON POPULATION EXPOSURE TO HEAT
“The maximum possible tree planting in cities would reduce heat related mortality by 2.4 percent to 5.6 percent”
McDonald et al. 2016. Planting Healthy Air. The Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org/healthyair
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URBAN TREES ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION
• Targeted actions – specific places where people can benefit the most
• Cost-efficient – investments vs trade-offs
• Co-benefits
McDonald et al. 2016. Planting Healthy Air. The Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org/healthyair
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Reduces mortality
(Crouse et al. 2017)
asthma prevalence(Sbihi et al. 2016)
cardiovascular disease(Donovan et al. 2015)
heat related morbidity(Graham et al. 2016)
diabetes prevalence(Astell-Burt et al. 2014)
AMPLE EVIDENCE THAT EXPOSURE TO GREEN SPACES PREVENTS DISEASE AND PROMOTES HEALTH
Improves pregnancy outcomes
(Glazer et al. 2018)
mental health (Annerstedt [van den Bosch] et al. 2012)
cognitive function(Dadvand et al. 2015. PNAS)
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http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/321971/Urban-green-spaces-and-health-review-evidence.pdf?ua=1
The Parma Commitments (WHO, 2010)“We aim to provide each child by 2020 with access to healthy and safe environments …, and to green spaces in which to play and undertake physical activity.”
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The Sustainable Development Goals, 2015 (11:7)“…provide universal access to … green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.”
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THE COOLING EFFECTS DIMINISHES WITH DISTANCE FROM THE TREES
McDonald et al. 2016. Planting Healthy Air. The Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org/healthyair