Impact of Climate and the Environment on People’s Well-being

The climate change, environmental degradation, and the accelerated transformation of urban environments are redefining the determinants of health and well-being on a global scale. Exposure to air pollution, increasing extreme temperatures, loss of biodiversity, and lack of green spaces directly influence the disease burden, mental health, and social inequalities. In cities, where more than half of the world’s population already lives, these factors combine with mobility dynamics, housing, and urban planning that shape quality of life and health equity.

ISGlobal addresses these challenges from an integrated perspective of planetary health and urban health, combining advanced epidemiological research, climate science, data analysis, and work with public policies. Our institution has developed innovative models to assess the impact of air pollution, noise, urban heat, and city design on health, helping place scientific evidence at the center of urban planning and climate adaptation strategies. Through international initiatives and collaborations with local administrations and multilateral organizations, ISGlobal promotes approaches that connect climate action with direct benefits for health and well-being, also incorporating the dimension of social equity in the transition toward more sustainable environments.

The goal is to drive structural transformations that reduce environmental risks and improve people’s quality of life. Through health impact assessment tools, policy recommendations, and collaborative projects, ISGlobal contributes to designing healthier, more resilient, and sustainable cities and environments, strengthening the capacity of urban systems to face present and future climate challenges. This work connects the generation of scientific knowledge with public action and social participation, placing human well-being at the center of the climate and environmental agenda.

Key publications

• Integrating Climate, Urban, and Social Policies Is Key to Avoid Increasing Inequalities in Barcelona
• 5 keys to healthier cities
• Safeguarding Planetary Health in the Bolivian Amazon: A Call to Action Against Deforestation
• Extreme Weather Events: How Do We Prepare for an Increasingly Hostile Climate?
• The Economic Fallacy of Improving Air Quality in Europe: the Social and Economic Costs of Inaction Are Far Greater than Taking Ambitious Action
• Towards Clean Air in the EU: the Need for a Bold Step Forward
• Air pollution and Lung Cancer - Key Facts
• Air pollution and Children - Key Facts
• Air pollution and Dementia - Key Kacts

Featured projects and initiatives

• Climate, Air Pollution, Nature, and Urban Health Programme