About the event
Health and well-being are shaped by decisions made across sectors, from urban planning and housing to transport and environment. Integrating health considerations into these decisions is essential to creating healthier, more equitable and sustainable cities. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is an important tool for putting the Health in All Policies approach into practice. By systematically assessing the potential health and equity impacts of policies, plans and projects, HIA can help decision-makers identify opportunities to improve health outcomes, address inequalities and support healthier urban development.
Organized by the WHO European Healthy Cities Network’s Scientific Committee, this webinar will explore how HIA can help translate Health in All Policies ambitions into practical action across urban planning, development and governance.
Drawing on experiences from Healthy Cities in France and Ireland, alongside research and evidence on HIA application, speakers will showcase how HIA is being used to inform decision-making and integrate health and equity considerations into urban development. The webinar will examine practical approaches, lessons learned and challenges in implementing HIA, as well as the factors that support its effective application.
Participants will also gain insights into recent guidance from the United Kingdom’s National Health Service agency on HIA in spatial planning, emerging opportunities presented by digital tools and artificial intelligence, and the capacity-building needs of cities and regions. Through case studies and insights from research and practice, the webinar will highlight how HIA can strengthen the integration of health considerations across policies and sectors and advance Healthy Cities objectives.
By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to:
- understand how HIA translates the Health in All Policies approach into practice, particularly through its evolving role in spatial planning and urban development policy within the European Healthy Cities context;
- identify key lessons, challenges and opportunities in applying HIA, including how emerging guidance, digital tools and innovative approaches can support its implementation; and
- recognize the contribution of science and research to strengthening HIA methodologies, informing policy decisions and advancing practice.
Participation
The webinar is intended for city coordinators, local and regional policy-makers, urban planning and public health professionals, researchers, and other stakeholders interested in integrating health and equity considerations into policies, plans and urban development.
Please sign up for the webinar at the registration link.
For more information about the WHO European Healthy Cities Network, contact eurohealthycities@who.int