ICUH 2024: A Healthier Horizon: Activating Urban Health Strategies for a Climate

In this special dedicated session, we will explore the most pressing issues for advancing health equity, as explored in the recently released RWJF report, Six Global Trends in Health Equity. Experts and practitioners will discuss the future of healthy public spaces, nutrition security, digital information, longevity, care work, and the housing crisis, all framed within the cross-cutting theme of climate change. We’ll dive into the issues and potential solutions to some of the biggest health equity challenges that will face communities around the world in the years to come. 

As the devastating impacts of climate change on physical health become more apparent, the mental health consequences often remain overlooked. This session will shed light on the psychological effects of climate change, including stress, trauma from extreme weather events, economic disruption, isolation, and longer-term anxieties. The focus will include the critical impacts on children’s mental health and their vulnerability to environmental stressors. Panelists will discuss how climate change uniquely affects children's well-being, both psychologically and physically, and the urgent need for mental health services tailored to young populations. We’ll hear from policy experts, researchers, and practitioners working with communities to mitigate these impacts, emphasizing the importance of building resilience, especially for future generations.

This session will explore the comprehensive ways in which various environments—built, natural, and social—impact health and environmental outcomes in cities. Experts in environmental health, epidemiology, urban planning, and public health will discuss how factors like urban infrastructure, green spaces, air quality, sustainable transportation, and social equity intersect to shape healthier, more resilient communities. The session will delve into the health impacts of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, examining how urban planning, public spaces, and infrastructure design can foster both environmental resilience and positive health outcomes. Through insights from leaders in climate action, health research, and sustainable development, we will consider innovative solutions that create adaptable urban spaces, improve environmental health, and support both physical and mental well-being.

As climate change continues to challenge global health systems, the need for resilient, adaptive, and financially sustainable solutions has never been greater. This session will focus on how health systems can both mitigate their environmental impact and address the changing prevention, infrastructure, and service needs of vulnerable populations. The panel will explore the evolving role of health systems in anticipating and managing climate-driven health effects, while fostering collaborations across sectors to promote upstream action on the social determinants of health. Additionally, speakers will highlight innovative financing strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation, emphasizing how investments can support the development of healthy, resilient cities. Discussions will include approaches to advancing equity, ensuring sustainable urban health delivery, and securing the necessary financial resources to drive long-term climate and health solutions.

This session will examine the alarming rise in infectious diseases fueled by climate change, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions like Africa. Climate change has created ideal breeding grounds for vector-borne diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, Zika, and chikungunya, as sustained urban growth, especially in informal settlements, become hotbeds for mosquito populations. Recent outbreaks of water-borne diseases like cholera, driven by flooding and water contamination, as well as the resurgence of diseases like mpox, will also be discussed. The panel will explore how urban environments exacerbate the spread of these diseases, focusing on the intersection of climate migration, urban expansion, and the breakdown of infrastructure in developing areas. Through a multivariate lens, we will discuss groundbreaking solutions, from innovations in vaccination development to built environment interventions and policy changes aimed at preventing the spread of infectious diseases. 

This session will highlight Africa’s leadership in climate adaptation and resilience within the urban health context, with a particular focus on Morocco as the host of the 20^th annual ICUH. The session will bring together key officials from Moroccan cities, the national government, youth climate advocates, UN-Habitat, and representatives from other African cities. Panelists will explore urban-rural linkage strategies, post-disaster resilience, and culturally-relevant approaches to climate action across the continent. The discussion will emphasize the shared challenges and opportunities African cities face in building climate resilience and advancing urban health.

As the 20th annual International Conference on Urban Health comes to a close, we gather for a powerful closing ceremony focused on the urgent next steps in addressing climate and urban health challenges. This session will feature reflections and key takeaways from leading figures, including local and regional African partners such as the Mayor of Rabat, Fatiha El Moudni, and representatives from the International Society for Urban Health (ISUH) board, past ISUH presidents, and our partners at the International Federation for Landscape Architects (IFLA).

Together, they will summarize the critical lessons from the week and outline actionable steps for collaboration, focusing on how to tackle climate change and improve urban health in cities across Africa and the world. A key highlight will be the announcement of the launch of the Moroccan Urban Health Network, a collaborative platform that will unite cities, policymakers, researchers, and organizations to advance urban health initiatives throughout Morocco and beyond.

This closing ceremony marks the beginning of sustained collective action, emphasizing the importance of building resilient, healthy cities and the role that cross-sectoral partnerships will play in achieving this goal.