Determinants and indicators of healthy, climate resilient cities

Abstract

Cities are major contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, and urban residents are experiencing escalating health impacts from climate change. It is therefore essential that city planning focuses on creating resilient, healthy built environments. This research explored the key determinants of healthy, climate resilient cities and identified indicators that could inform evidence-based planning internationally. We conducted a scoping review of academic and grey literature on healthy and climate resilient cities indicators. We identified three groups of determinants and indicators: climate hazard-specific, general resilience to climate hazards, and policy-specific. Across these groups, there were 12 categories of determinants, and 371 indicators. There was some consensus about urban heat, air pollution and flood being key climate-related health hazards, and the importance of green space; building quality; access to diverse amenities; low-carbon transport; and policymaking processes that promote urban climate resilience. However, the number and diversity of indicators may provide limited guidance to researchers and policymakers about optimal measures of healthy, climate resilient cities. We highlight specific gaps in current indicators and measurement considerations, including the need to validate indicators for cities internationally. Indicators that measure urban adaptive and transformative capacity are needed to track and guide policy progress towards healthy, climate resilient cities.