Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of urban and transport interventions

Abstract Background Promoting active mobility in urban environments, meaning walking and cycling for transport, often in combination with public transport use, presents a promising strategy for enhancing public health while simultaneously tackling environmental and urban sustainability challenges. As cities struggle with poor environmental quality characterized by high levels of air pollution and noise, traffic congestion, and the impacts of climate change, promoting active mobility stands out as a scalable intervention with substantial health co-benefits. Methods and results This presentation highlights the public health advantages of active mobility and emphasizes its critical role in building healthier urban communities. We present a range of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) approaches to evaluate active mobility interventions and transport mode shift scenarios, focusing on key health pathways such as physical activity, exposure to air pollution and traffic-related injuries. The resulting health impacts are assessed in quantitative and qualitative terms. In addition, we examine how urban design, transport infrastructures and urban proximity influence active mobility opportunities. This includes evaluating the availability of walking and cycling infrastructures and urban proximity policies and their influence on transport modal share in European cities. Understanding these elements helps identify gaps and opportunities to better support active mobility in diverse urban settings. Finally, we consider the role of electric micromobility, such as the use of e-scooters, e-bikes and e-mopeds, within the broader framework of sustainable transport. We assess their potential contributions and risks to public health and explore how these modes can complement traditional active mobility while supporting low-carbon transport systems.