Air pollution and chronic respiratory diseases: A modern challenge for sustainable urban mobility

¹ School of Health Sciences, Department of Physical Education Science and Sport, University of Thessaly, 41 500, Larisa, Greece
² School of Engineering, Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly, 383 34, Volos, Greece

^* Corresponding author: mp.vaco@gmail.com

Abstract

Uncontrolled urbanisation and continued population growth are increasing air pollution levels and the burden of chronic respiratory diseases. The transport sector is responsible for a quarter of total emissions. A shift towards sustainable transport solutions is needed to reduce high concentrations of air pollutants that are harmful to human health. This review examines the role of urban planning and transport on respiratory health. A literature review was conducted on the challenges facing urban planning and urban design to reduce air pollution and prevent chronic respiratory diseases. The main search sources were via Science Direct, Pub Med and The Lancet journal, using keywords such as “sustainable urban mobility”, “urban planning”, “air pollution”, “chronic respiratory diseases”, “green infrastructure” and “15-minute city”. The recent literature shows that there are no definitive results on how the built and natural environment contributes to the worsening of chronic respiratory diseases. There are a variety of factors and parameters that interact with respiratory diseases and vary from study to study. However, the 15-minute city concept, walkable neighbourhoods and green infrastructure have been proposed for their benefits to human health and well- being. These urban planning approaches promote active mobility and reduce pollution from transport. As mentioned it is important to adhere to the strict air quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization and European Union. So, integrated policies for sustainable cities require cooperation and participation of all stakeholders in decision- making. Having a holistic approach, strategies can be implemented to mitigate the effects of air pollution aimed at health-promoting urban planning