Taking Action on Green Spaces, Active Transportation, Heat, Air Pollution, and Noise: What Are the Health Benefits? Summary of Findings in the Montpellier Méditerranée Metropolitan Area

For example, if all 3M neighborhoods had the same level of greenery as the greenest 3M neighborhoods of the same density, 114 deaths would be prevented each year, representing 3.7% of the city’s total mortality rate; if every resident of the 3M aged 30 and older walked an average of ten additional minutes per weekday, it is estimated that 103 deaths could be prevented each year, representing 3.4% of mortality. An additional ten minutes of cycling per weekday would prevent 175 deaths each year, or 5.7% of mortality; if fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels met the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended value (5 µg/m³ annual average) everywhere, 262 deaths, or 8.6% of total mortality, would be prevented. This would also prevent 42 new strokes (7.5% of all strokes) and 17 new lung cancers (5.4% of all lung cancers) each year. If nitrogen dioxide levels everywhere met the WHO’s recommended limit (10 µg/m³ annual average), 58 deaths—or 1.9% of total mortality—would be prevented. This would also prevent more than 203 new cases of asthma among children aged 0 to 17, or 9.7% of new asthma cases; if all municipalities complied with WHO recommendations for nighttime road noise (45 dB Lnight), this would allow more than 2,700 residents of the 3M to experience fewer severe sleep disturbances; On average each year, heat during very hot days (average temperature ≥24.3°C) was responsible for 35 premature deaths in the 3M. By translating environmental or behavioral information into health impacts, EQIS are a valuable decision-making tool that can help ensure health is more systematically integrated into public urban planning policies. The remaining methodological limitations and associated uncertainties do not call into question the significance of the expected benefits of transforming environments to make them more health-promoting.

Author(s): Pascal Mathilde, Cochet Amandine, Lagarrigue Robin, Corso Magali, Stempfelet Morgane, Medina Sylvia, Wagner Vérène, De Crouy Chanel Perrine, Blanchard Myriam, Pontiès Valérie

Publishing year: 2024

Pages: 38 p.

Collection: Studies and Surveys

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