By notice dated 30/06/2022, the Ministry of Health published a call to fund 14 application-oriented programmes of 4 years each (2023-2026), aiming to develop a new institutional approach capable of managing health, environment, biodiversity and climate. The aim is to redesign and strengthen the National Health Service, considering the impact on health of emerging issues associated with:
- Technological development;
- Work organisation;
- Migration;
- Ecosystem degradation;
- Loss of biodiversity.
The total budget for the initiative amounts to € 21,000,000, to be allocated to the 14 initiatives during the 2023-2026 four-year period, as follows:
- 8 programmes falling within the scope of “Area A” projects (overriding programmes for the Health Service), € 2,100,000 each, €16,800,000 in total;
- 6 programmes falling within the scope of “Area B” projects (programmes that require working closely in synergy with other institutions/sectors), € 700,000 each, € 4,200,000 in total.
The projects will seek to improve and harmonise the National Health Service’s prevention and response policies and strategies for acute and chronic environmental-related illnesses.
The University of Bologna’s project
The University submitted a project as joint proposer through the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC).
The project is as follows.
Using green and blue spaces to promote health and well-being
- Scientific coordinator: Professor Marco Domenicali
- Department: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC)
- Project leader: Regione Calabria
- Funding for DIMEC: € 70,000
- Duration: 48 months
Abstract
According to the latest European Environment Agency (EEA) report, green infrastructure – which includes green and blue spaces, such as parks, private gardens, vegetable gardens, tree-lined streets, water and wetland – makes up 42% of the area of the 38 cities covered in the report. However, this area varies greatly, from 96% in the greenest city to 7% in the city with the lowest green space coverage. The same disparities are also to be found across Italy. The figures, from the Copernicus Urban Atlas, further reveal poor access to urban green spaces by the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, who in many cases only have this opportunity to experience nature. Green infrastructure proximity is known to be of great benefit to our psychological and physical well-being. In recent years, more and more evidence has accumulated of the importance of green and blue areas in preserving the health and well-being of the population, preventing certain illnesses and mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change. For this reason too, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 encourages bringing nature back into our cities. The inability or difficulty in accessing green infrastructure is yet another source of social inequality, which translates into a reduced ability to deal with the adverse effects of city pollution and increasingly frequent heat waves. Not only that: it also leads to diminished resilience to the uncertainties and fears that over two years of pandemic have generated, particularly in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. The project aims to promote the use of the green and blue infrastructure in urban areas and in protected areas within and outside the city, thanks to a number of actions that support the development of easily accessible, pleasant and safe green and blue areas, to be understood as multi-purpose spaces encouraging sociability and community cohesion. These actions revolve around developing and improving a knowledge shared by all those involved in designing, maintaining and using green infrastructure, to promote the use of these areas and fully understand their benefit to our psychological and physical well-being, especially among the most vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and children.
For this reason, the project also provides for communication and education initiatives through mediators, especially family physicians and paediatricians, who will be the target of specific training activities to prepare them for their role as mediators and promoters of the green and blue infrastructure.
Special attention will be given to promoting proper urban green management in order to prevent the loss of biodiversity, the introduction of alien species and the overproduction of pollen. One of the goals will be to consolidate the available information on the existence, characteristics and main ecosystem services offered by green and blue spaces. A road map of best practices and guidelines for SNPS ad SNPA operators, policymakers and citizens will be drafted, with a view to improving the management and quality of the existing green infrastructure.
