Exploration of Planetary Health Approaches in Urban Areas - A Scoping Review

Human activities on earth result in global disturbances of natural systems that manifest as natural resource exploitation, pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss which negatively impact human health in turn. In response, the concept of Planetary Health (PH) has emerged, recognizing the need for a systemic understanding of interconnectedness between human health and that of the natural systems on which it depends. Cities constitute a relevant ground for health interventions as they are currently home to more than half of the world’s population and paradoxically also among the most vulnerable locations for the impact of human-induced PH pressures.

Despite its growing scientific prominence, the field of PH lacks in action-based research. Therefore, this review seeks to map the existing evidence of approaches that operationalize the planetary health concept, and its application across urban contexts. It illuminates entry points and provides guidance for PH researchers, educators, local governments and urban planners in the pursuit of operationalizing PH in urban areas.

A literature search for peer-reviewed publications was conducted across 7 databases (N=7843), using the keyword “Planetary Health.” Using the PRISMA-ScR extension guidelines a team of 3 researchers identified 35 articles for the final synthesis.

The included studies consist of various types of research investigating how the concept of PH can be operationalized in urban areas. Some approaches are associated with PHs conceptual foundations in the form of frameworks, literacy/ education models and practices, as well as the formulation of measurement and evaluation methods. Then there are applied approaches, consisting of interdisciplinary PH research-projects, diverse case studies and papers that examine PH’s application potential within policy.

Among the heterogenous application of the concept across a diversity of contexts, the review identified several best practices, draws out present conceptual and research limitations, as well as challenges and opportunities for embedding the concept across diverse disciplines and as part of various urban interventions.