London confirmed as host for first ever Partnership for Healthy Cities summit

City leaders from across the globe will descend on the UK capital to discuss ideas, technologies and concepts that can help urban areas reduce the impact of noncommunicable diseases, many of which are tied to air pollution.

Conditions including heart disease, stroke, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases — all of which have known causes in poor air quality — will be discussed, along with plans and proposals to bring rates down across the world, with 80% of all deaths currently attributed to noncommunicable forms of illness. 

According to United Nations (UN) projections, by 2050 2.5bn more people will be living in built-up areas, with the vast majority of the global population already calling cities home. As a result, making these environments safer and healthier is an international medical priority, with more urgency needed to address the worrying realities for these communities. 

‘Human health can either flourish or perish in cities,’ said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. ‘Through the Partnership for Healthy Cities, WHO and partners are working with mayors to create programmes and policies that place health at the centre of urban design, such as safe streets that promote active mobility, local sources of fresh and healthy food, and smoke-free spaces. These are vital for building cities that foster good health and well-being, by fighting noncommunicable diseases like heart and respiratory diseases, cancer and diabetes.’ 

‘Toxic air makes us sick from the cradle to the grave, leading to asthma and stunted lung growth in the young and dementia in the elderly,’ said Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. ‘Cities have the power to shape the health of their citizens and I look forward to learning from and sharing knowledge with other city leaders, and coming together to address the key health challenges of the future.’ 

London has been chosen as the host city partly because of its strong record on air pollution, with the benchmark-setting Ultra Low Emission Zone recently confirmed for expansion, bringing the entire metropolis under the scheme by this summer. The inaugural Partnership For Healthy Cities Summit, co-hosted by the WHO, Vital Strategies and Bloomberg Philanthropies, will take place on 15th March 2023.  

Image: João Barbosa