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
urban development
Bilbao Ria 2000: urban regeneration through local self-financing strategies
Everyone who visits Bilbao for the first time, comes to see, even to take a quick picture, one of the most unique buildings in Europe: the Guggenheim Museum. Its avant-garde ship-shaped design recalls what this area of the city once was: the hub of port, mining, and industrial activity in Biscay, one of the most prosperous provinces in northern Spain. If the beginning of the … [Read more...] about Bilbao Ria 2000: urban regeneration through local self-financing strategies
Housing as Home: The Less Explored Side of Urban Development
As the saying goes, "Home is where the heart is.” In all cultures and throughout history, human beings have sought a home of their own, regardless of available resources and hardships. Researchers have found one of the oldest vestiges dating back to the Neolithic period in a Turkish city of 9,000 years old. The evolutionary process has turned us into skilled builders, … [Read more...] about Housing as Home: The Less Explored Side of Urban Development
Reasons to celebrate World Urbanism Day
Although it is not one of the most popular events at the international level, World Urbanism Day (also known as World Town Planning Day) has great significance. Every November 8, the United Nations commemorates this day thanks to the initiative of the then Professor Carlos Maria Della Paolera, from the University of Buenos Aires, in 1949. This event became the starting point to … [Read more...] about Reasons to celebrate World Urbanism Day
IDB Mayors Forum 2022: four lessons to address climate change in cities
October 31, World Cities Day Today is World Cities Day (WCD). While many people will read or hear about the importance of commemorating this day, few may know exactly what it celebrates. Let's delve into some history. In 2013, the United Nations established WCD with the aim of fostering cooperation among countries to address the challenges posed by urbanism and contribute to … [Read more...] about IDB Mayors Forum 2022: four lessons to address climate change in cities