A person's zip code affects their life expectancy more than their own genetic code. We often relate chronic diseases to habits such as diet, lack of physical exercise, smoking or heredity. However, the factor that most influences health is the environment in which we live and circumstances such as poverty, lack of decent housing, overcrowding, environmental safety or exclusion … [Read more...] about Healthy Cities: your zip code influences your health more than your genetic code
Cities LAB
The Cities Laboratory of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is our platform for innovation, design, and experimentation for the sustainable urban development in Latin America and the Caribbean. We lead innovative prototypes that arise from co-design processes between officials of the IDB and local actors (community, academia, government); in which citizen participation is key. From these urban interventions, we evaluate the experiences, analyzing the success of the cases with the objective of sharing knowledge, expanding or replicating the implemented pilots. Learn more by reading our blog and visiting the Cities LAB's web.
World Hunger Day: How and why should we integrate urban agriculture into city planning?
Four out of ten Latin Americans and Caribbeans live in food insecurity, that is, they lack regular access to food. The pandemic, and the war in Ukraine, have sharply pushed back already poor malnutrition rates. Transforming agrifood systems will be the main strategy for ensuring food security in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). However, the planning of our cities can play … [Read more...] about World Hunger Day: How and why should we integrate urban agriculture into city planning?
Ten blog posts to celebrate ten years of Ciudades Sostenibles
Ciudades Sostenibles just celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. Since May 2012, more than 800 blog posts have informed our loyal readers every week about the challenges, opportunities, trends and urban projects with the greatest impact on urban development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). From the IDB's Housing and Urban Development Division, we would like to … [Read more...] about Ten blog posts to celebrate ten years of Ciudades Sostenibles
Applications are open!: join the “Cities for All” Challenge
In today’s blog, the IDB Cities Laboratory presents the Cities for All Challenge. We are looking for local government officials to design and test innovative solutions to urban problems, and thus contribute to establishing a culture of public innovation. Keep reading to learn more details about this call! How to establish a culture of innovation in governments? Two of the … [Read more...] about Applications are open!: join the “Cities for All” Challenge
Reviving neighborhoods through Tactical Urbanism strategies
How would you describe the space located under an elevated highway? What feelings or perceptions come to your mind? You probably associate this type of urban space with words like "darkness", "insecurity" or "dirt". It is also possible that it does not generate any sense of identity or belonging, and you do not feel like sitting down to talk with your friends or play with … [Read more...] about Reviving neighborhoods through Tactical Urbanism strategies