Urban transport and health: sourcebook for policymakers in developing cities
Transport has a powerful impact on health and that influence on health is growing globally along with increased mobility. The transport sector also offers major potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, making transport policies an important area of attention in the climate change field. This module aims to describe the health risks and benefits that arise from transport, and to identify transport systems that protect and promote people's health both in the short-term, e.g. reducing immediate risks from air pollution and injuries, as well as over time by supporting the development of healthier and more sustainable cities. The module starts by providing an overview of the key pathways by which transport can influence health, and the scale of transport-related health risks in OECD and developing countries. It then discusses instruments that are available to assess and counter transport-related health risks. If offers some principles that can be used to guide the development of healthy transport systems, and concludes with some care studies illustrating good practice in diverse cities of the world.