This article synthesises the challenges faced by the English (urban) spatial planning system to become an enabler of urban health and explores some keys features of the evidence base, policy tools and policy implementation issues that urban planners need to be aware of to become health enablers. It draws on good practice identified in an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) seminar series involving over 500 academic researchers and practitioners between 2015 and 2017. A number of key recommendations emerged out of the project.

Seminario Internacional sobre Planificación Regional y Urbana en América Latina

Recoge textos elaborados en los últimos años por expertos de la CEPAL y por autores externos para la Unidad Conjunta CEPAL/CNUAH de Asentamientos Humanos, en cumplimiento de su programa de trabajo. Los textos se agrupan segun 3 líneas temáticas, 1) Areas críticas para la formulación de políticas de asentamiento humano en América Latina y el Caribe, 2) Metropolización y crisis, y 3) Planificación y gestión del desarrollo nacional: el rol de los gobiernos locales.

The rise of urban populations has rendered cities in both developed and developing countries vulnerable to poor health and diseases that are associated with urban living conditions and environments. Therefore, there is a growing consensus that while personal factors are critical in determining health, the urban environment exacerbates or mitigates health outcomes, and as such the solution for improving health outcomes in urban settings can be found in addressing socio-environmental factors that shape urban environments.

Depuis 1970, l’agglomération de Libreville, à l’instar des autres villes de l’Afrique subsaharienne, connaît une occupation spatiale qui s’opère par les initiatives individuelles. Malgré la panoplie de textes législatifs et réglementaires qui régissent le foncier et l’urbanisme, la pratique la plus répandue d’appropriation du sol reste la squatterisation et l’urbanisation spontanée. Cette forme d’occupation territoriale et la rapide croissance démographique de Libreville ont favorisé la formation des quartiers sous-intégrés et l’extension incontrôlée de la ville.

With growing urbanisation trends, cities are facing numerous challenges and are the most vulnerable to climate change. In order to promote sustainable cities and communities it is important to adopt a holistic and integrated approach. The Urban Nexus, which is a relatively recent concept, is an approach to sustainability that seeks to integrate sectors and silos in the design and development process. This paper will look at cities which have already adopted this approach and show the benefits of adopting such an approach.