Fountain at Pho Si Road/Udon Dutsadi Road roundabout, Udon Thani, Thailand. Photo: Stefan Fussan / Wikimedia Commons.
This SEI discussion brief outlines principles for designing and implementing nature-based solutions that are just and equitable.
- SEI briefs
- Climate
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- 20 May 2022
- Africa
- Asia
- Europe
- Americas
Rapidly growing cities represent unique challenges and opportunities. Unplanned growth often outpaces infrastructure development and occurs at the expense of a city’s ecological foundations, undermining residents’ wellbeing and the city’s sustainability.
The SEI Initiative on City Health and Well-being uses novel approaches to investigate how evolving cities are affecting the well-being of residents and how this interacts with the overall health of city systems: What makes a city healthy for its residents? Could citizens be actively engaged in monitoring the health of their city? These are some of the central questions informing our initiative case study activities in Asia and Africa.
Novel methods of data generation and collection have been employed across four interconnected activities in two case study locations (Nakuru in Kenya and Udon Thani in Thailand). These activities are:
- Understanding the impact of urban forms’ impact on health and wellbeing
- Co-designing urban citizen science monitoring
- Urban metabolism and participatory modelling
- Governance for greater urban equity and inclusion
The research is contributing to a rethink of urban development practices. The knowledge generated through this action research and boundary partner engagement will inform sustainable and participatory planning for urban environments.
The new evidence we generate will be aimed at guiding policy recommendations to equitably maximize the well-being of urban populations while minimizing resource consumption and without undermining their resilience.
This initiative investigates how rapidly growing cities affect residents' wellbeing and how this interacts with the overall health of city systems.
- SEI briefs
- Air
- Health
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- Land
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- 19 December 2018
- Africa
- Asia
- Kenya
- Thailand
January 2022 update
In 2022, the Initiative enters its third phase. In Phase 2, SEI investigated the links between urban environments and wellbeing using a range of low-cost environmental sensors. Through activities with local residents, we developed an understanding of their preferences for urban greening, and the potential benefits and barriers to implementing this. We worked with local stakeholders to explore how these findings can be integrated into urban planning, which enabled residents in our case study cities to engage more effectively with their local and national government on services to improve their living conditions.Â
In Phase 3 we will complete the analysis of data and reporting of these important and novel findings. We will also bring our methods, approaches and case studies together into an urban ‘toolbox’ that can be used widely by people involved in urban planning, such as city authorities. Through a series of workshops, we will explore stakeholder’s preferred content and format for such a toolbox, to ensure that it meets their needs. Other SEI urban-related tools will also be included where appropriate. We will strengthen relationships with our local and international partners, and also build new networks, to ensure that our results and methods are used widely to maximize health and wellbeing equity.
Diane Archer, SEI Asia in a short interview with Thomson Reuters.
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- 24 March 2020
- South-eastern Asia
- Senior Research Fellow
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- Programme Leader
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- @cassildemuhoza
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Bringing participatory approaches into urban planning in Udon Thani, Thailand
Green spaces and walkable urban pathways are important for residents’ physical and mental health, as well as having ecological benefits, and can also help to reach goals for sustainable and healthy urban lifestyles. However, it is a big challenge to conserve green spaces in Udon Thani because of competing demands on land and finance.
We asked Udon Thani’s residents about their experience of walking around the neighbourhood and what challenges they face when doing so and asked them for suggestions on what would improve their walking habits. We used two interactive methods – photovoice and mental mapping – to understand the enablers and barriers to walking.
Read more in this feature:
SEI is partnering with local people in the city of Udon Thani in northeast Thailand to find creative ways to improve the urban environment.
- Feature
- Land
- 15 March 2021
- South-eastern Asia
Environmental monitoring with citizen science in Nakuru, Kenya
Can citizen-led monitoring help local governments manage cities better and improve services to people? This was the question CHeW investigated through environmental monitoring using citizen science techniques.
SEI supported environmental leaders from a community in Nakuru, Kenya using a data collection app called Epicollect to map out environmental challenges facing their local area. EpiCollect enables questionnaires to be created which are then accessible on mobile phones. User responses to questions are linked to their locations using the phone’s GPS.
Between April and June 2019, a group of 15 Environment Champions surveyed their neighbourhood (called Free Area) taking pictures of problem areas and documenting the status of them over the time-period. The SEI team helped co-organize information collection activities and afterwards shared findings back to the community and local government representatives including public health officers, County Government and County Assembly, Nakuru Water and Sewerage Company (NAWASCO), ward administrators, garbage collectors and the Area Chief, during a workshop held in mid-2019.
The survey brought a focus on the dominant issues which were related to waste (open dumping) and water and drainage (leaking/broken water and sewer pipes, and open or unsafe manholes). The data from the survey was also mapped so that users are able to identify where the problems were and to help the relevant authorities resolve them.
Before data collection (left) and an example completed map for one neighbourhood (right).
This is one example of how, through the CHeW initiative, SEI is striving to catalyze citizen-led activities within rapidly growing cities and to embed them into improved urban governance practices.
Fluorosis and emerging water pollutants in East Africa
Background
Fluorosis is a widespread disease caused by excess Fluoride intake. The World Health Organization considers Fluoride as one of 10 chemicals of major public health concern. Fluorosis impairs dental and skeletal health, child development, and has other health consequences. Excess Fluoride in drinking water is the most common cause. 
Fluoride occurs naturally in certain mineral geologic formations around the world. The East African Rift Valley is one of the global hotspots and in Nakuru county (Kenya), effects of Fluorosis were found in over 75% of people tested at 2 health facilities.   
In addition, emerging contaminants, including pharmaceuticals in water bodies, are increasingly impacting environmental and human health. Exposure and impacts of these are less clearly understood. Â
Exploratory workshop for South-South Cooperation
A workshop was held on 18th June 2021, with participants drawn from Kenya (Nakuru), India, UK and USA. Funded by the University of York (UK), and organized by SEI, the workshop brought together international and local experts, practitioners and Nakuru city stakeholders with the aims of: Â
- Reviewing the state of knowledge and practice on Fluoride and other water contaminants in the Rift Valley, with a focus on Nakuru town and county. Â
- Expanding knowledge on differential exposure of city residents to excess Fluoride from different water sources. Â
- Compiling information and insights on local and regional solutions. 
A summary workshop report will be available in Autumn 2021.
Pilot study
The workshop followed research undertaken during the earlier phase of the City Health and Well-being Initiative. A pilot survey was conducted by SEI (with support from Umande Trust) whereby water samples were taken from different neighborhoods in Nakuru to establish the levels of fluoride and other contaminants present.Â
Read about the study in the following feature.
This SEI discussion brief outlines principles for designing and implementing nature-based solutions that are just and equitable.
- SEI briefs
- Climate
- Governance
- 20 May 2022
- Africa
- Asia
- Europe
- Americas
To ensure future sustainability, cities need to consider concepts of livability and resident wellbeing alongside environmental and economic development equity.
- Journal articles
- Land
- Air
- Gender
- Governance
- Health
- 8 November 2021
- Asia
- Africa
- Kenya
- Thailand
This paper addresses challenges faced by LMICs using citizen science to enhance official data monitoring of SDGs.
- Journal articles
- Governance
- 10 September 2021
- Africa
- Asia
- Americas
- Europe
- Oceania
Urban sustainability is governed beyond the urban scale through trans-local networks and assemblages of actors and institutions.
- Journal articles
- Governance
- Health
- 31 May 2021
- Africa
- Asia
- Journal articles
- Governance
- Health
- Air
- 15 February 2021
- Read in 10
- Africa
- Eastern Africa
- Uganda
- Kenya
This study seeks to fill in some gaps in groundwater data in India in an effort to measure how natural and man-made factors affect water supply levels.
- Journal articles
- Water
- 16 December 2020
- Southern Asia
- India
This study uses mobile electroencephalography (EEG) to understand the different impacts of busy, quiet and green urban spaces on brain activity.
- Journal articles
- Health
- 24 June 2019
- United Kingdom
This exploratory study applies a standardized analysis framework to health and wellbeing metrics of cities in the UK, Sweden, Estonia, Kenya and Thailand.
- Journal articles
- Air
- Health
- 18 December 2019
- Sweden
- Estonia
- United Kingdom
- Thailand
- Kenya
This initiative investigates how rapidly growing cities affect residents' wellbeing and how this interacts with the overall health of city systems.
- SEI briefs
- Air
- Health
- Governance
- Land
- Water
- 19 December 2018
- Africa
- Asia
- Kenya
- Thailand
What do practitioners need to be aware of when planning urban green infrastructure using digital tools to engage stakeholders?
- Perspective
- Climate
- Health
- 19 May 2021
SEI is partnering with local people in the city of Udon Thani in northeast Thailand to find creative ways to improve the urban environment.
- Feature
- Land
- 15 March 2021
- South-eastern Asia
SEI's Initiative on City Health and Wellbeing uses novel approaches to understand how growing cities can impact wellbeing.
- Feature
- Air
- Gender
- Health
- Water
- 5 November 2020
- Africa
- Eastern Africa
- Asia
- South-eastern Asia
- Thailand
Udon Thani in Northern Thailand is a rapidly developing small city that is planning ahead to ensure its growth is green and sustainable.
- Feature
- Health
- Economy
- Governance
- Water
- Land
- Air
- 17 September 2019
- Thailand
- South-eastern Asia
- Asia
- Feature
- 1 October 2014
What do practitioners need to be aware of when planning urban green infrastructure using digital tools to engage stakeholders?
- Perspective
- Climate
- Health
- 19 May 2021
- Perspective
- Air
- Gender
- 24 November 2020
- Asia
Accessible green space in cities supports good mental and physical health. Natural spaces in cities help mitigate climate change. Planners should take note.
- Perspective
- Air
- Governance
- Health
- Land
- 20 May 2020
What does a healthy and liveable city look like? This initiative is working with residents of the Northern Thailand city of Udon Thani to find out.
- Perspective
- Air
- Gender
- Governance
- Health
- 11 April 2019
- South-eastern Asia
- Thailand
- Perspective
- Land
- Health
- Water
- Air
- 8 September 2017
- United Kingdom
After decades of car-centred urban planning in the Tallinn, the city plans to give the centre back to its people and enliven urban culture.
- Perspective
- Health
- Air
- 21 June 2016
- Estonia
Uncontrolled growth, luxury construction and gentrification are driving out many residents and making life more difficult for all.
- Perspective
- Land
- Health
- Water
- 17 October 2016
- Thailand
Making a healthy and liveable city
What does a healthy and liveable city look like? The residents of the Northern Thailand city of Udon Thani provide their perspectives.
This film was produced by the SEI Initiative on City Health and Well-being. June 2021.
CHeW activities in Nakuru, Kenya
This video presents an overview of the community engagement activities undertaken in Nakuru. Activities include citizen science methods to identify important environment issues of concern to residents and also a campaign of water sampling to investigate levels of Fluoride in local water sources.
This film was produced by the SEI Initiative on City Health and Well-being. June 2021.
Managing Fluorosis Risk in Kenya: learning from community medicine in India
Fluorosis, caused by excess fluoride intake, affects millions of people around the world. SEI is working with local communities and Indian doctors on managing Fluorosis risk in Nakuru, Kenya. A combination of water supply management and community sampling is helping better understand the scale of the problem, and its solution.
Part 1 Kaiwara
Part 1 – describes the work undertaken by doctors from Ramaiah Medical Centre (India) transforming the health of school children in the village of Kaiwara. They explain how they identified that fluorosis was a serious health issue and how they succeeded in providing safe water to the village.
Presenter: Vishal K. Mehta. SEI Interviewees: Arjunan Isaac, Nanda Kumar – Ramaiah Medical Centre, Bengalaru, India. Video Production: Aditi Rajeev. March 2020.
Part 2 Nakuru
Part 2 describes the transfer of knowledge from doctors from Ramaiah Medical Centre (India) to the city of Nakuru, Kenya. Initial research carried out using citizen science to look at water quality identified high levels of Fluoride in groundwater. The doctors explain how lessons learnt from their reducing fluorosis in their village can be introduced and scaled-up in Nakuru.
Presenter: Vishal K. Mehta. Interviewees: Cassilde Muhoza, Romanus Opiyo – SEI; Arjunan Isaac, Nanda Kumar – Ramaiah Medical Centre, Bengalaru, India. Video Production: Aditi Rajeev. March 2020.
Urban greenspace wellbeing benefits in low and middle income countries
Heidi Tuhkanen from SEI’s Tallinn Centre shares results of a study in two secondary cities in the global south which assessed the well-being benefits derived from urban spaces. The presentation was given at the ClimateExp0 conference: an event for researchers to showcase recent international research relevant to decisions being made at COP26 in November 2021.
Heidi Tuhkanen presents an overview of the City Health and Wellbeing project for ClimateExp0, May 2021.
This poster by Heidi Tuhkanen, Steve Cinderby and Annemarieke de Bruin was also presented at the ClimateExp0 conference.
Digital participatory tools for urban planning
What do practitioners need to be aware of when planning urban green infrastructure using digital tools to engage stakeholders? This session at the Nature of Cities Festival 2021 aimed to crowdsource ideas on how we can overcome the current limitations related to virtual stakeholder engagement. A series of mini-presentations highlighted a range of virtual methods of engaging with stakeholders (from lower-tech to higher tech) in projects related to urban greening, as well as some of the issues that have been raised related to ethics.
Heidi Tuhkanen led this session at the Nature of Cities Festival 22-26 February 2021.
Inclusive Urban Waste
Also at the Nature of Cities Festival 2021, Diane Archer presented a microtalk on recognizing informal waste workers.
Diane Archer presented this microtalk at the Nature of Cities Festival 22-26 February 2021.
Ontological frameworks applied to Smart City research and policy
Dr. Arkalgud Ramprasad was invited to present his work on ontological frameworks applied to research, policy, and practice. CHeW is particularly interested in how such a framework can be applied to sustainable cities. Dr. Ramprasad is Professor Emeritus in Information and Decision Science at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and the Director of the Ramaiah Public Policy Centre in Bangalore, India.
Dr. Ramprasad’s talk, entitled “Systematic Policymaking Using Ontologies: How to Make the ‘Elephant’ Dance” was hosted in Davis, California by SEI’s Vishal Mehta. This is a shortened version, focusing on Smart Cities. Sept 2019.