Introducing walkable cities as a Public Health intervention : Vlatka Matkovic

COVID-19 pandemic yet again showed that health crises and epidemics are introducing urban planning as a public health response. Globally, we saw a renewed interest in urban environment and healthy living and the changes in urban environments which can make for a healthier living. Even before the pandemic, various urban concepts and models that take as basis a health-oriented, holistic approach are being implemented in many cities. To name a few: car-free centres or neighbourhoods, the so-called ‘Superblocks’, neighbourhoods with low-speed traffic, walkable and cyclable cities aiming at all amenities being easy reach so-called ‘15 Minutes city’. COVID-19 crisis only accelerated many of these initiatives and brought them to global level need and attention. Such interventions are being introduced to demotivate the use of polluting cars, to ease up and to promote healthy and active transportation such as walking and cycling. As a consequence, those interventions not only are hoped to lead to an increase in physical activity, but also better air quality, reduction of noise. Cities have accelerated urban transformations of the space for active transportation such as the introduction of more cycling lanes in their networks, transforming ‘car’ streets to mix use streets, etc. Particularly during the pandemic, the streets that were previously dominated by car use, parking lots, parking spaces, and car lanes have shifted their focus to the pedestrians, healthy and active mobility. Though, not so optimistic continuation of the speed of the changes in urban planning are seen at the end of the pandemic. It is still clear that spaces for people, spaces promoting mental health such as green spaces, green islands, green pedestrian streets and healthy mobility, are missing. Lockdown measures of reducing the car traffic and increasing the walkable spaces for citizens were primarily imposed to save public health but had one important co-benefit - improved air quality in many areas.

Urban places and Mental Health challenges (lessons learned from Covid-19 crisis) : Marija Jevtic

Nature deprivation under COVID-19 lead to reduced well-being. Urban design interventions were also identified as an important contributor to the restoration of community confidence, choice, and safety. Factors related to sociodemographic, housing and lockdown were linked to changes in exposure to nature during the pandemic lockdown. Changes in exposure to nature and mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 lockdown were strongly linked. Especially young people had an increased number of mental health problems. Children and youth were more bored and worried in comparison with the pre-pandemic period. The educational institutions worldwide were closed or changed to online education during the pandemic, leading to great disturbance in students’ education and outdoor events. All “green infrastructure” (GI) resources (including parks, gardens etc.) received great attention as “essential infrastructure” supporting well-being. But, the quality, functionality and position of GI in urban areas showed inequality in distribution. Frequently, societies with greater ethnic diversity, lower income and larger health inequality suffered from unsatisfactory or lack of access. GI is important in decision-making to address inequality. This work will also present an open-air activity for all generations: A reflective walk through the oldest part of Novi Sad (EU Capital of Culture 2022), as a part of Project Reflective citizens in Novi Sad. This walking tour was led by pupils from primary school - where all generations spend useful time in open space and a safe atmosphere walking tour, learning and listening about the cultural history of the oldest part of the city. It is vital to enhance urban planning and design practices in making healthier and more resilient communities. It is necessary to underline the importance of planning green spaces that need time to form in urban areas, and which have proven to be very important for mental health in the midst of the pandemic crisis.

SDGs in the Covid 19 Storm (Example on Climate Pact Ambassadors Role)

The Climate Pact was launched in December 2020, with hope that the upcoming vaccine would help us overcome the COVID-19 pandemic "storm". Even though humans are in the canter of the Covid pandemic storm, it is still important not to forget the climate change challenge, as it is a highly active "factory". Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for the climate change process and biodiversity crises. The Climate Pact is an opportunity to create a European-wide movement that supports, encourages and acknowledges individual climate achievements. According to SDG 13 (climate action), Climate Pact encourages actions such as: green areas, green transport, green buildings and green skills. Also, it is important to expand sustainable consumption and production, the quality of soil, healthy food and sustainable diets, oceans, and rural and coastal areas. Therefore, Climate Pact is a driver for Sustainable Development Goals, and it is based on the ideas and contributions of all interested individuals and various organisations. Climate Pact Ambassadors are representatives of civil society and citizens with the strength for action (despite the Covid 19 pandemic "storm") and collaboration among themselves as well as with researchers, academic citizens and policy makers to beat climate change and give contribution to SDG 13.

Looking for a healthy breath - the importance and potential of urban green spaces in the city: Case study of Novi Sad, Vojvodina Province, Serbia

Urban Green Spaces (UGS) are providing multiple health related ecosystem services (ES) to Public Health by improving quality of life (QoL) and well-being. The aim of research is to provide an insight of UGS in Novi Sad, and its potential to support public health, using publicly available data. Novi Sad, as the capital of Vojvodina Province (Republic of Serbia), region with the lowest percentage of forests, needs to provide enough UGS for healthy living. The best example for this goal is one of the greenest urban areas- Brussels with 79.00km2 of UGS. The results showed that City of Novi Sad has 39.02km2 of UGS, while lowest percentage of green areas is found in the city center core, and highest in family-oriented city blocks, which is characteristic even for green cities such as Brussels. Although the distribution and positioning of UGS in Novi Sad is well planned, additional actions for improvement of the amount, quality accessibility is needed, which is supported by the City Council for green spaces of Novi Sad. Considering the lack of the green spaces in the core center of Novi Sad, the potential for creation of new green areas in such urbanized environment lies in roof and vertical greening, and community-based gardens. In light of the biodiversity loss and the climate change, the importance of various policies that include sustainable development and growth as well as preserving nature and biodiversity (SDG8, SDG11, Green Deal, etc.) is rising. It is important to define natural, sustainable, and unobtrusive methods for public health, well-being and QoL improvement, which is also important in the circumstances of Covid pandemic. The introduction of more green areas and community-based gardening in cities would improve the ES of UGS. These actions would have indirect and direct positive effect on public and individual health of local population, as well as the potential to decrease the loss of biodiversity and the effects of climate change on microscale.