Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Public health policies and urban environments are pivotal in shaping health behaviours. However, persistent gaps remain between evidence, policy development, and effective implementation, especially for vulnerable populations who often have limited autonomy. This workshop centers on agency in the urban environment: the capacity of individuals and communities to participate in and influence the creation of healthier, more resilient urban spaces. By focusing on evidence-based strategies that empower people at multiple levels, we explore how agency can be fostered and understood throughout the public health research-to-action pipeline, including populations, researchers, and policymakers. Through five expert presentations, we explore how cities and local actors can create environments that support healthy behaviours, reduce health risks and promote climate resilience and equity by giving communities a greater voice and role in shaping their urban futures. The session begins with a rapid review from Concordia University (Canada) of city-led policies targeting sedentary behaviour among urban youth, highlighting effective, equitable interventions and demonstrating how municipal action, especially changes to the built environment, can address health inequities and promote active, climate-friendly lifestyles. Next, work from Heidelberg University (Germany) under the HealthScience4ALL initiative shows how involving communities as co-producers in prevention research enhances engagement and trust, particularly among disadvantaged groups. A participatory project from the Flanders Institute for Healthy Living (Belgium) demonstrates the value of combining urban data with lived experience to co-create solutions for healthier food and activity environments in vulnerable neighbourhoods. Both cases exemplify how local innovation and community voice can drive equitable and climate-sensitive urban change. RIVM (the Netherlands) then presents a regulatory case study assessing how standardising e-cigarette appearance and adding health warnings reduces youth appeal, illustrating how targeted urban policy can address emerging risks and support broader public health goals. Finally, WHO Europe presents its Healthy Cities framework, promoting health, equity, and climate resilience through participatory governance and linking local action to global sustainable development goals. Together, these contributions highlight the crucial role of agency in shaping equitable, climate-resilient urban environments. The workshop concludes with an interactive discussion that invites audience members to collaboratively identify key principles and strategies for fostering agency and translating evidence into effective action. Key messages • Empowering community agency and participation is essential for creating healthier, more equitable, and climate-resilient urban environments. • Integrating evidence, innovation, and policy from local to global levels transforms urban health and reduces inequalities.
Authors: Simon Bacon, Anne Roue-Le Gall
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,181
OpenAlex ID: W7223705460