The CUSSH programme: supporting cities’ transformational change towards health and sustainability [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Gemma Moore; Melanie Crane; David Osrin; James Milner; Phil Symonds; Blessing Mberu; Nahid Mohajeri; Kristine Belesova; Andy Haines; Irene Pluchinotta; Helen Pineo; Aarathi Prasad; Gregor Kiesewetter; Catalina Turcu; Paul Wilkinson; Nici Zimmermann; Jonathon Taylor; Giuseppe Salvia; Ioanna Tsoulou; Joanna Hale; Michael Davies; Susan Michie; Emma Hutchinson

Wellcome Open Research (Nov 2021)

The CUSSH programme: supporting cities’ transformational change towards health and sustainability [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Gemma Moore,
Melanie Crane,
David Osrin,
James Milner,
Phil Symonds,
Blessing Mberu,
Nahid Mohajeri,
Kristine Belesova,
Andy Haines,
Irene Pluchinotta,
Helen Pineo,
Aarathi Prasad,
Gregor Kiesewetter,
Catalina Turcu,
Paul Wilkinson,
Nici Zimmermann,
Jonathon Taylor,
Giuseppe Salvia,
Ioanna Tsoulou,
Joanna Hale,
Michael Davies,
Susan Michie,
Emma Hutchinson

Affiliations

Gemma Moore: Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, London, UK
Melanie Crane: ORCiD; Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
David Osrin: ORCiD; Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
James Milner: Dept of Public Health, Environments and Society, Dept of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
Phil Symonds: Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, London, UK
Blessing Mberu: ORCiD; African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
Nahid Mohajeri: ORCiD; Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, London, UK
Kristine Belesova: ORCiD; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
Andy Haines: ORCiD; Dept of Public Health, Environments and Society, Dept of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
Irene Pluchinotta: ORCiD; Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, London, UK
Helen Pineo: ORCiD; Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, London, UK
Aarathi Prasad: Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
Gregor Kiesewetter: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Air Quality & Greenhouse Gases (AIR), Luxemburg, Austria
Catalina Turcu: ORCiD; Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, London, UK
Paul Wilkinson: Dept of Public Health, Environments and Society, Dept of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
Nici Zimmermann: ORCiD; Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, London, UK
Jonathon Taylor: ORCiD; Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
Giuseppe Salvia: Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, London, UK
Ioanna Tsoulou: Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, London, UK
Joanna Hale: ORCiD; Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London, London, UK
Michael Davies: Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, London, UK
Susan Michie: ORCiD; Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
Emma Hutchinson: Dept of Public Health, Environments and Society, Dept of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 6

Abstract

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This paper describes a global research programme on the complex systemic connections between urban development and health. Through transdisciplinary methods the Complex Urban Systems for Sustainability and Health (CUSSH) project will develop critical evidence on how to achieve the far-reaching transformation of cities needed to address vital environmental imperatives for planetary health in the 21st Century. CUSSH’s core components include: (i) a review of evidence on the effects of climate actions (both mitigation and adaptation) and factors influencing their implementation in urban settings; (ii) the development and application of methods for tracking the progress of cities towards sustainability and health goals; (iii) the development and application of models to assess the impact on population health, health inequalities, socio-economic development and environmental parameters of urban development strategies, in order to support policy decisions; (iv) iterative in-depth engagements with stakeholders in partner cities in low-, middle- and high-income settings, using systems-based participatory methods, to test and support the implementation of the transformative changes needed to meet local and global health and sustainability objectives; (v) a programme of public engagement and capacity building. Through these steps, the programme will provide transferable evidence on how to accelerate actions essential to achieving population-level health and global climate goals through, amongst others, changing cities’ energy provision, transport infrastructure, green infrastructure, air quality, waste management and housing.

Published in Wellcome Open Research

ISSN: 2398-502X (Online)
Publisher: Wellcome
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine; Science
Website: https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/

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