One Health: A New Model for Health (Even in Cities)
Why are we talking about One Health today? What does it mean, and how can it help us respond to the changes that are reshaping the relationship between the environment and health?
It is no longer possible to view human beings as a biological system isolated from the environment around them. Our health is the result of continuous and complex interactions with our surroundings: air, water, soil, and biodiversity. In the context of urban health, the One Health approach offers a fundamental framework: it calls for viewing biodiversity not as an accessory or purely aesthetic element, but as a genuine determinant of health. This means that the quality of urban ecosystems is closely linked to our biology and physiology. Biodiversity loss, which is often concentrated in cities, compounds other harmful exposures—such as pollution, heat, and noise—contributing to environments where metabolic and endocrine vulnerabilities increase.
Rethinking Cities as Ecosystems of Health
Today, more than 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, which account for around 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions and experience average temperatures up to 3–5°C higher than surrounding areas. In this context, the need to rethink cities as complex ecosystems—where environment and health are deeply interconnected—is becoming increasingly evident.
This is the starting point of the project we are promoting and have already launched, which will continue throughout 2026 and was presented at the National Research Council (CNR) in Rome on April 13: ‘Urban Biodiversity and Citizens’ Health. Prevention and Education Models for Health in Cities.’ At its core is urban biodiversity as a lever to integrate human, animal, and environmental health within a systemic vision, in line with the One Health approach. The project, carried out with Twig and the UNESCO Chair on Urban Health as part of the activities funded by the NBFC – National Biodiversity Future Center, aims to foster a tangible shift in the relationship between urban biodiversity and health. Building on the results presented on April 13, the initiative will continue by promoting practices that can concretely impact community well-being, translating scientific evidence into widespread awareness and operational actions through the integration of strategic design.