COP27 OP-ED: Let us aspire, inspire and conspire at COP27 and beyond

When it comes to transforming our cities into spaces where urban development, health and climate resilience align, Africa has the potential to lead the way. The UrbanBetter Cityzens initiative seeks to realise this potential through the power of young ...

What if access to health-enabling, climate-resilient environments in cities was the central pillar of all urban development? What if young people led the way in reimagining cities as places that protect health? And what if Africa, as the fastest-urbanising continent with the youngest population, led the world in harnessing urban development for health and climate resilience?

First, we must aspire to shift the norms of what we consider a good city from one that increases illness risk and climate vulnerability to one that prioritises health creation and climate resilience in all urban development and infrastructure decisions. Second, we need localised data to understand how city surroundings affect health and promote health accountability. It is critical that everyday people have such data. Imagine a healthy, climate-resilient city that aligns urban initiatives for health. Imagine if citizens of that city could obtain real-time air quality data to identify air pollution sources, and use this information to mitigate air pollution. In this example, such data could inspire action and advocacy for clean air.

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