Cities of the future

How does where you live affect your health? Those of us who live in cities probably don’t notice the thought – or lack of thought – that has gone into city planning, but a growing body of research is paying close attention, striving to make cities healthier and more sustainable. This is a particularly urgent task as urban populations grow and temperatures soar under a changing climate.

So how do we collect data and implement the changes needed to transform our cities for good? And what will the cities of the future look like?

Cosmos spoke to Professor Billie Giles-Corti, Director of the Healthy Liveable Cities Lab at RMIT University, and Jason Byrne, Professor of Human Geography and Planning at the University of Tasmania, to discuss this important topic.

Further resources:

• Australian Urban Observatory
• Climate Adaptation Australia: stories about actions ordinary people can take
• UN Environment Program: information on heatwaves, energy costs and cities taking the lead on adaption
• Global Centre on Adaptation: showcasing how different cities around the world are taking action
• Cool Cities Network – C40