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West Midlands Health and Planning group

Background
In 2010, West Midlands PCT's and local authorities came together to prepare a joint public health response to the Local Transport Plan 3. Subsequent work with Centro has demonstrated how this response influenced the final Local Transport Plan and associated implementation plan.

In 2011 a wider group prepared a joint response to the National Planning Policy Framework. It was clear that there was a wide range of healthy urban environment work underway across the West Midlands and extensive local experience and learning. Working with the West Midlands Learning for Public Health Network (LfPHWM) a West Midlands Health and Planning group was established.

The objective of the group is to share learning and experience and coordinate joint work across the West Midlands. With the constraints on people’s time and capacity it was felt that the group needed to take a practical approach to sharing best practice and identify opportunities to undertake joint work across specific areas of practice. The underlying model for the work is the Marmot Review objective E – “To create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities”.

WMHPG news, information and resources 10 July 2020

We do not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

Sustainable development goals

Reset Sustainable Development Goals for a pandemic world: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01999-x

How coronavirus is widening the UK gender pay gap: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/07/how-coronavirus-is-widening-the-uk-gender-pay-gap

Guaranteeing the right start: Preventing youth unemployment after Covid-19: https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/guaranteeing-the-right-start

The impact of DWP benefit sanctions on anxiety and depression: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/benefit-sanctions-mental-health/

The Pandemic Experts Are Not Okay: Many American public-health specialists are at risk of burning out as the coronavirus surges back: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/07/pandemic-experts-are-not-okay/613879/

Healthy planning & environment

RTPI – Plan the World We Need: https://www.rtpi.org.uk/research/2020/june/plan-the-world-we-need/ “This paper examines how planning can contribute to calls for a sustainable, resilient and inclusive recovery from the current health and economic crisis. It complements our ongoing work to understand how planners are responding to the immediate challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Boris’ ‘New Deal’ creates a loophole for developers to ignore biodiversity: https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/07/01/boris-new-deal-creates-a-loophole-for-developers-to-ignore-biodiversity/

English countryside 'at risk from Boris Johnson’s planning revolution': https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/04/uk-countryside-at-risk-from-boris-johnsons-planning-revolution

IEMA publishes 'Build Back Better' plan: https://transform.iema.net/article/iema-publishes-build-back-better-plan

Britain’s public parks and green spaces are at risk, says charity: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/britains-public-parks-and-green-spaces-are-at-risk-says-charity/

United Kingdom water crisis - Notorious for being a particularly rainy nation, the UK has no need to worry about its water supply. But is that actually the case? https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/united-kingdom-water-crisis

Corporations weaponise obscure legal instruments to declare war on green reforms: https://meta.eeb.org/2020/07/06/corporations-weaponise-obscure-legal-instruments-to-declare-war-on-green-reforms/

We must learn from the pandemic to prevent environmental catastrophe: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/we-must-learn-from-the-pandemic-to-prevent-environmental-catastrophe/

How animals are coping with the global ‘weirding’ of the Earth’s seasons: https://theconversation.com/how-animals-are-coping-with-the-global-weirding-of-the-earths-seasons-140856

Coconut oil production threatens five times more species than palm oil – new findings: https://theconversation.com/coconut-oil-production-threatens-five-times-more-species-than-palm-oil-new-findings-141454

Scientists discover new ‘human fingerprint’ on global drought patterns: https://www.carbonbrief.org/scientists-discover-new-human-fingerprint-on-global-drought-patterns

Algae turn Italian Alps pink, prompting concerns over melting: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/06/algae-turns-italian-alps-pink-prompting-concerns-over-melting

UK gives go-ahead to giant windfarm project off Norfolk coast: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/02/uk-gives-go-ahead-to-giant-windfarm-project-off-norfolk-coast-vanguard

US rivers and lakes are shrinking for a surprising reason: cows: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/02/agriculture-cattle-us-water-shortages-colorado-river

Housing

Lockdown living - Housing quality across the generations: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/lockdown-living/ “For three months, the majority of the population has ‘stayed home to save lives’, bringing the quality of our housing stock and neighbourhoods into sharp relief.”

One in three have suffered health problems during lockdown because of poor housing, survey shows: https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/one-in-three-have-suffered-health-problems-during-lockdown-because-of-poor-housing-survey-shows-67015

Government can provide a housing lifeline in the coming economic storm: https://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/government-can-provide-housing-lifeline-coming-economic-storm

New guidance to tackle Covid-19 rent arrears: https://news.rla.org.uk/new-guidance-to-tackle-covid-19-rent-arrears/

Climate change & sustainability

Grantham Institute - COVID-19 response: Why government must accelerate a green recovery at the local level – and how you can help: https://granthaminstitute.com/2020/06/24/covid-19-response-why-government-must-accelerate-a-green-recovery-at-the-local-level-and-how-you-can-help/ “Dr Neil Jennings, Partnership Development Manager at the Grantham Institute, considers how a coronavirus recovery plan that priorities climate action can reinvigorate the economy and create a resilient society – and why local authorities are best placed to deliver this.”

International Energy Authority - Clean Energy Innovation: https://www.iea.org/reports/clean-energy-innovation “The report comes with a new ETP Clean Energy Technology Guide that encompasses around 400 component technologies and identifies their stage of readiness for the market.”

Some new climate models are projecting extreme warming. Are they correct? https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/07/some-new-climate-models-are-projecting-extreme-warming-are-they-correct/

The permafrost pandemic: could the melting Arctic release a deadly disease? https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/07/03/arctic-permafrost-pandemic-life-uh-finds-a-way/

Risk of 40C heat in the UK ‘rapidly increasing’, says Met Office: https://www.carbonbrief.org/risk-of-fourty-c-heat-in-the-uk-rapidly-increasing-says-met-office

Feature: We must equip the next generation for a changing landscape: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/feature-we-must-equip-the-next-generation-for-a-changing-landscape/

Explainer: How the rise and fall of CO2 levels influenced the ice ages: https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-how-the-rise-and-fall-of-co2-levels-influenced-the-ice-ages

CO2 in Earth's atmosphere nearing levels of 15m years ago: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/09/co2-in-earths-atmosphere-nearing-levels-of-15m-years-ago

EU’s hydrogen strategy is a gift to fossil fuel companies: https://meta.eeb.org/2020/07/09/eus-hydrogen-strategy-is-a-gift-to-fossil-fuel-companies/

Guest post: How ‘discourses of delay’ are used to slow climate action: https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how-discourses-of-delay-are-used-to-slow-climate-action

Planning for climate change: Is London leading the way? https://lichfields.uk/blog/2020/july/3/planning-for-climate-change-is-london-leading-the-way/

'2040': A funny, entertaining, upbeat climate documentary: https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/06/2040-a-funny-entertaining-upbeat-climate-documentary/

Global trends in climate change litigation: 2020 snapshot: http://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/publication/global-trends-in-climate-change-litigation-2020-snapshot/

Experts and the general public think about CO2 removal very differently: https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2020/07/people-dont-know-much-about-carbon-dioxide-removal-but-theyre-ambivalent/

African Energy Experts Dismiss UK Climate Science Denial Group's 'Misleading' Report: https://www.desmog.co.uk/2020/07/01/african-energy-experts-dismiss-misleading-gwpf-report

UK says: wants to be first with carbon zero Atlantic commercial plane: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-transport/uk-says-wants-to-be-first-with-carbon-zero-atlantic-commercial-plane-idUSKBN24317T

Active travel & transport

Urban Transport Group – Future of Transport Regulatory Review: http://www.urbantransportgroup.org/resources/types/consultation-responses/future-transport-regulatory-review

E-scooters could disrupt travel as we know it – expect the car industry to fight back: https://theconversation.com/e-scooters-could-disrupt-travel-as-we-know-it-expect-the-car-industry-to-fight-back-141992

Is the ‘golden age of cycling’ really here to stay? https://airqualitynews.com/2020/07/03/is-the-golden-age-of-cycling-really-here-to-stay/

Streets outside local schools to be made safer: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/news/article/651/streets_outside_local_schools_to_be_made_safer

New £1m project to prepare UK motorways for self-driving vehicles: http://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/Public-Sector-News/prepare-for-self-driving-vehicles

Air quality & pollution

Report: Estimation of changes in air pollution emissions, concentrations and exposure during the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/reports.php?report_id=1005 “These new findings indicate that myocardial iron overload resulting from inhalation of airborne, metal-rich nanoparticles is a plausible and modifiable environmental risk factor for cardiac oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease, on an international scale.”

Iron-rich air pollution nanoparticles: An unrecognised environmental risk factor for myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiac oxidative stress: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935120307118?via%3Dihub

Popular Fireworks Release Toxic Metals Into the Air: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/933293?src=rss

Food & food security

Committee on Food, Poverty and the Environment – Hungry for Change: fixing the failures in food: https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/food-pov-health-enviro-comm/news-parliament-2019/report-publication/

Economic and food security implications of the COVID-19 outbreak: An update focusing on the domestic fallout of local lockdowns: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/economic-and-food-security-implications-covid-19-outbreak-update-focusing-domestic

The Angry Chef - Covid Corrections Part 2: https://angry-chef.com/blog/covid-corrections-part-2

How to rid East Africa of locusts? Serve them in a kebab or drive them to cannibalism: https://news.trust.org/item/20200702061455-6thv0/

WMHPG news, information and resources 03 July 2020

We do not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

Sustainable development goals

Population-based estimates of healthy working life expectancy in England at age 50 years: analysis of data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(20)30114-6/fulltext - summary here - Retirement age is increasing – but our new study reveals most only work ten years in good health after 50: https://theconversation.com/retirement-age-is-increasing-but-our-new-study-reveals-most-only-work-ten-years-in-good-health-after-50-141227 “...on average, people in England can expect to be healthy and in work for almost nine and a half years after age 50. However, these years are not necessarily lived consecutively as people may temporarily leave work or experience health problems. These findings came from data on 15,284 people aged over 50 in England who were interviewed several times from 2002 to 2013.”

Environmental destruction not avoided with the Sustainable Development Goals: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-0555-0

Social Metrics Commission -  Measuring Poverty 2020: https://socialmetricscommission.org.uk/measuring-poverty-2020/ - more here - Nearly half of BAME UK households are living in poverty: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/01/nearly-half-of-black-uk-households-are-living-in-poverty

Levelling up the economy: we can't afford not to: https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/levelling-economy-we-cant-afford-not

Rainy days - An audit of household wealth and the initial effects of the coronavirus crisis on saving and spending in Great Britain: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/rainy-days/ “The crisis is disproportionately affecting families on low-to-middle incomes and this has profound implications for policy makers.”

COVID-19: The key worker diaries: https://www.jrf.org.uk/covid-19-key-worker-diaries

The Full Monty - Facing up to the challenge of the coronavirus labour market crisis: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/the-full-monty/

The danse-macabre moves offline, out of sight, out of mind: https://www.aspher.org/articles,4,80.html

Spotlight on adolescent health and well-being. Findings from the 2017/2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey in Europe and Canada: https://www.euro.who.int/en/publications/abstracts/spotlight-on-adolescent-health-and-well-being.-findings-from-the-20172018-health-behaviour-in-school-aged-children-hbsc-survey-in-europe-and-canada.-international-report.-volume-1.-key-findings

Despite the suspension of conditionality, benefit claimants are already looking for work: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/conditionality-covid19/

From Stone to Phone: Modern Day Cobalt Slavery in Congo: https://bylinetimes.com/2020/06/19/from-stone-to-phone-modern-day-cobalt-slavery-in-congo/

Downsides of face masks and possible mitigation strategies: a systematic review and meta-analysis: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.16.20133207v1

Healthy planning & environment

New design framework to underpin post-COVID desire for healthy living: https://www.salus.global/article-show/new-design-framework-to-underpin-post-covid-desire-for-healthy-living

PM: A New Deal for Britain: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-a-new-deal-for-britain “Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out the first steps in the strategy to rebuild Britain and fuel economic recovery across the UK.”

Blog: What a planner might learn from the Black Lives Matter movement - Koen Rutten: https://www.tcpa.org.uk/blog/blog-what-a-planner-might-learn-from-the-black-lives-matter-movement

Five reasons environmentalists should oppose Britain’s agriculture bill: https://theconversation.com/five-reasons-environmentalists-should-oppose-britains-agriculture-bill-141413

Blog: In the zone? - Hugh Ellis: https://www.tcpa.org.uk/blog/blog-in-the-zone

SANCTUARY – Watch now Javier Bardem's full documentary in Antarctica: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_V1oCeEpp0 “Watch SANCTUARY,  the documentary directed by Álvaro Longoria that will show you  first-hand, through the eyes of Javier and Carlos Bardem, the story of an ambitious environmental protection initiative to create the world's largest marine sanctuary in the Antartic Ocean.”

Living with a dying forest: https://theecologist.org/2020/jun/18/living-dying-forest

Land purchases by private companies accelerate tropical deforestation, data shows: https://www.carbonbrief.org/land-purchases-by-private-companies-accelerate-tropical-deforestation-data-shows

The biodiversity leader who is fighting for nature amid a pandemic: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01947-9

Community goals: https://lichfields.uk/blog/2020/june/26/community-goals/ “…the majority of clubs have been in the same area for over a hundred years and are often the building blocks on which communities have grown both physically and socially”

The secretive government agency planting 'cyanide bombs' across the US: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/26/cyanide-bombs-wildfire-services-idaho

The scandal of millions of Americans deprived of running water: https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2020/jul/02/the-scandal-of-millions-of-americans-being-deprived-of-running-water-podcast

Housing

Renting beyond their means? The role of living rent in addressing housing affordability: https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/living-rent - associated webinar -  https://www.ippr.org/event/webinar-renting-beyond-their-means-the-role-of-living-rent-in-addressing-housing-affordability

From old car park to sustainable housing solution: how LaunchPad sought to test a new way of developing: https://housingevidence.ac.uk/from-old-car-park-to-sustainable-housing-solution-how-launchpad-sought-to-test-a-new-way-of-developing/

Boris Johnson faces calls for nationwide home retrofit scheme to make houses more energy efficient: https://inews.co.uk/news/environment/boris-johnson-calls-nationwide-home-retrofit-scheme-energy-efficient-458849

Research suggests 84,000 fewer homes will be built this year due to Covid-19: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Research-suggests-84000-fewer-homes-will-be-built-this-year-due-to-Covid-19/50694

Climate change & sustainability

Estimating Arctic Temperature Impacts from Select European Residential Heating Appliances and Mitigation Strategies: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2020EF001493 “If each country converted its appliance fleet to the technologically advanced pellet stoves and boilers, the combined black carbon, organic carbon, and sulfate emissions from heating appliances could be reduced by 94% and the Arctic temperature response reduced by 85%.”

The increasing likelihood of temperatures above 30 to 40 °C in the United Kingdom: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16834-0

South pole warmed ‘three times faster’ than global average over past 30 years: https://www.carbonbrief.org/south-pole-warmed-three-times-faster-than-global-average-over-past-thirty-years

Committee on Climate Change: Reducing UK emissions: 2020 Progress Report to Parliament: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/reducing-uk-emissions-2020-progress-report-to-parliament/

The Society of Fearless Grandmothers stands up for young climate activists: https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/06/the-society-of-fearless-grandmothers-stands-up-for-young-climate-activists/

Aviation Industry Decision to Weaken Climate Plan Could Break Own Rules: https://desmog.co.uk/2020/06/24/aviation-industry-decision-weaken-climate-plan-could-break-own-rules

The links between racism and climate change: https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/06/the-links-between-racism-and-climate-change/

Health Professionals & Climate Change: https://sushrutajnl.net/index.php/sushruta/article/view/72

Combating climate change – why investors should keep their shares in fossil fuel companies: https://theconversation.com/combating-climate-change-why-investors-should-keep-their-shares-in-fossil-fuel-companies-141476

Guest post: How climate change misinformation spreads online: https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how-climate-change-misinformation-spreads-online

Average CO2 emissions from new cars and new vans increased again in 2019: https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/average-co2-emissions-from-new-cars-vans-2019

U.S. Shale Has Lost $300 Billion In 15 Years: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/US-Shale-Has-Lost-300-Billion-In-15-Years.amp.html

Fracking trailblazer Chesapeake Energy becomes the biggest oil and gas bankruptcy of the pandemic: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/28/business/chesapeake-energy-bankruptcy/index.html

Active travel & transport

Do we need physical activity guidelines for mental health: What does the evidence tell us? https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755296619301632

Emissions benefits of electric vehicles in Uber and Lyft ride-hailing services: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-020-0632-7 “Lastly, the potential environmental and emission reduction benefits are approximately three times higher for electric vehicles being used in ride-hailing compared with those of regular vehicle usage in California.”

Build Back Better: https://www.transporttimes.co.uk/news.php/Build-Back-Better-521/

Still going underground? The potential implications of COVID-19 on public transport and planning policy in London: https://lichfields.uk/blog/2020/june/25/still-going-underground-the-potential-implications-of-covid-19-on-public-transport-and-planning-policy-in-london/

Air quality & pollution

Air pollution from the desert is causing an 18% increase in infant mortality: https://airqualitynews.com/2020/06/30/air-pollution-from-the-desert-is-causing-an-18-increase-in-infant-mortality/

Coronavirus and the return of plastic – in pictures: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2020/jun/29/coronavirus-and-the-return-of-plastic-in-pictures

Microscopic animals are busy distributing microplastics throughout the world’s soil: https://theconversation.com/microscopic-animals-are-busy-distributing-microplastics-throughout-the-worlds-soil-141353

Gold mining leaves deforested Amazon land barren for years, find scientists: https://theconversation.com/gold-mining-leaves-deforested-amazon-land-barren-for-years-find-scientists-141639

Waste giant guilty of exporting banned waste: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/waste-giant-guilty-of-exporting-banned-waste

Food & food security

Global Food Security Alert, June 29, 2020 : COVID-19 pandemic drives global increase in humanitarian food assistance needs: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/global-food-security-alert-june-29-2020-covid-19-pandemic-drives-global-increase

Urban fringe critical to future food supply: https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2020/may/urban-fringe-critical-to-future-food-supply

Take part in citizen science for food security: http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=55904

Challenges and opportunities for better nutrition science—an essay by Tim Spector and Christopher Gardner: https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m2470

There's another pandemic stalking Britain: hunger: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/28/pandemic-britain-hunger-boris-johnson

And finally….

Single Use Unlubricated Monocles: https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/lobby

WMHPG news, information and resources 26 June 2020

We do not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

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Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) - Announcing the WHO-ASPHER Competency Framework for the Public Health Workforce: https://www.aspher.org/aspher-programme-for-public-health-competencies.html

Covid-19: Call for a rapid forward looking review of the UK’s preparedness for a second wave—an open letter to the leaders of all UK political parties: https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m2514

Sustainable development goals

A Health Impact Assessment of the ‘Staying at Home and Social Distancing Policy’ in Wales in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: Executive Summary: https://whiasu.publichealthnetwork.cymru/en/news/health-impact-assessment-staying-home-and-social-distancing-policy-wales-response-covid-19-pandemic-executive-summary/ “The report provides an overview of the potential health and wellbeing impacts of the Staying at Home and Social Distancing Policy (commonly referred to as ‘Lockdown’) on the population of Wales in the short, medium and long term.  It draws upon learning from international evidence, latest data and intelligence and the views of expert stakeholders.”

How has lockdown affected people of different ages? https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2020/06/22/how-has-lockdown-affected-people-of-different-ages/

Unemployment: The Coming Storm: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/cepeo/2020/06/17/unemployment-the-coming-storm/

Who’s losing income during the pandemic? https://neweconomics.org/2020/06/whos-losing-income-during-the-pandemic?mc_cid=46281d622d&mc_eid=a15a43d447

Europe’s sustainability statistics fail to measure up to reality: https://meta.eeb.org/2020/06/24/europes-sustainability-statistics-fail-to-measure-up-to-reality/

Children’s Commissioner - Fact checking claims about child poverty: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/2020/06/22/fact-checking-claims-about-child-poverty/

Call for a stronger social security lifeline for children: https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/call-stronger-social-security-lifeline-children

ONS - Ethnicity, Disability, Religion:  Which groups are at most risk of death involving COVID-19? https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2020/06/19/ethnicity-disability-religion-which-groups-are-at-most-risk-of-death-involving-covid-19/

The coronavirus backlash: how the pandemic is destroying women's rights: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jun/23/the-coronavirus-backlash-how-the-pandemic-is-destroying-womens-rights

Rainy days: An audit of household wealth and the initial effects of the coronavirus crisis on saving and spending in Great Britain: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/rainy-days

Evidence shows cloth masks may help against COVID-19: https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/articles/evidence-shows-cloth-masks-may-help-against-covid-19/

Meet the vegetarian anti-vaxxers who led the smallpox inoculation backlash in Victorian Britain: https://theconversation.com/meet-the-vegetarian-anti-vaxxers-who-led-the-smallpox-inoculation-backlash-in-victorian-britain-134173

Healthy planning & environment

Council planning powers under threat: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Council-planning-powers-under-threat/50590

Strong intensification of hourly rainfall extremes by urbanization: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2020GL088758 “We find that the city’s influence on extreme rainfall is located over the urban area itself, as opposed to other studies that have detected a footprint downwind. This is likely due to the typical calm background wind conditions in the tropics.”

Centre for Cities -  Planning for the Future: How flexible zoning will end the housing crisis: https www.centreforcities.org/publication/planning-for-the-future/

Mental Health Foundation – Thriving With Nature: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/thriving-with-nature/guide

To build safe streets, we need to address racism in urban design: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2019/08/28/to-build-safe-streets-we-need-to-address-racism-in-urban-design/

Five ways to kickstart a green recovery: https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-kickstart-a-green-recovery-141115

As the climate changes, protecting more land will not necessarily preserve more biodiversity: https://anthropocenemagazine.org/2020/06/climate-change-will-make-protected-areas-less-safe/

Climate change: Planting new forests 'can do more harm than good': https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53138178

How did wildlife groups start collaborating in the destruction of nature? https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/24/how-did-wildlife-groups-start-collaborating-in-the-destruction-of-nature

Housing

National Audit Office - Investigation into remediating dangerous cladding on high-rise buildings: https://www.nao.org.uk/report/investigation-into-remediating-dangerous-cladding-from-high-rise-buildings/

One of the most energy inefficient in Europe, the UK's housing stock needs retrofitting to meet Net Zero: https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/one-of-the-most-energy-inefficient-in-europe-the-uks-housing-stock-needs-retrofitting-to-meet-net-zero

Right to rise: extending purpose-built residential blocks upwards: https://lichfields.uk/blog/2020/june/25/right-to-rise-extending-purpose-built-residential-blocks-upwards/

Climate change & sustainability

Faster, further, fairer: Putting people at the heart of tackling the climate and nature emergency: https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/faster-further-fairer

CCC: UK risks ‘egg on face’ unless it accelerates climate plans: https://www.carbonbrief.org/ccc-uk-risks-egg-on-face-unless-it-accelerates-climate-plans

UK's net zero pledge: what has been achieved one year on? https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/24/uks-net-zero-pledge-what-has-been-achieved-one-year-on

‘Intersectional Environmentalist’ Platform Launches to Dismantle Racism in the Climate Movement: https://www.greenmatters.com/p/intersectional-environmentalist-leah-thomas

In-depth: BP data reveals clean electricity matched coal for the first time in 2019: https://www.carbonbrief.org/in-depth-bp-data-reveals-clean-electricity-matched-coal-for-the-first-time-in-2019

Coronavirus: Tracking how the world’s ‘green recovery’ plans aim to cut emissions: https://www.carbonbrief.org/coronavirus-tracking-how-the-worlds-green-recovery-plans-aim-to-cut-emissions

Global oil demand could hit record growth rate next year, IEA warns: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/16/global-oil-demand-could-hit-record-rate-next-year-iea-warns

World has six months to avert climate crisis, says energy expert: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/18/world-has-six-months-to-avert-climate-crisis-says-energy-expert

Swansea Bay City Region plan for 'mini power station' homes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53022696

Clearing the air around domestic heating emissions: https://meta.eeb.org/2020/06/11/clearing-the-air-around-domestic-heating/

Even the oil giants can now foresee the end of the gasoline age: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/21/even-oil-giants-now-foresee-end-of-gasoline-age-shell-bp-profitability-pandemic

Adélie penguins could thrive as result of sea ice melting: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/24/adelie-penguins-could-thrive-as-result-of-sea-ice-melting

Active travel & transport

UK Rail – Time Traders: https://www.transporttimes.co.uk/news.php/UK-Rail-Time-Traders-520/

Implementing jet fuel taxation in Europe today: https://www.transportenvironment.org/publications/implementing-jet-fuel-taxation-europe-today

Air quality & pollution

Association of Air Pollution and Heat Exposure With Preterm Birth, Low Birth Weight, and Stillbirth in the US: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2767260 “The findings suggest that exacerbation of air pollution and heat exposure related to climate change may be significantly associated with risk to pregnancy outcomes in the US.”

Half the world’s population are exposed to increasing air pollution: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41612-020-0124-2

Artificial Intelligence technology to predict air pollution spikes: https://airqualitynews.com/2020/06/12/artifical-intelligence-technology-to-predict-air-pollution-spikes/

Why the pandemic could slash the amount of plastic waste we recycle: https://theconversation.com/why-the-pandemic-could-slash-the-amount-of-plastic-waste-we-recycle-139616

Food & food security

Government attacked for ignoring expert advice on nutrition in food parcels: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/21/government-attacked-for-ignoring-expert-advice-on-nutrition-in-food-parcels

COVID-19 – A triple threat to food security: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200618092015175

Food security is no longer an issue in the EU, says Commissioner: https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/food-security-is-no-longer-an-issue-in-the-eu-says-commissioner/

Waitrose boss joins calls for post-Brexit food standards protection: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/25/waitrose-boss-joins-calls-for-post-brexit-food-standards-protection

The Angry Chef – Covid Corrections-part 1: https://angry-chef.com/blog/covid-corrections

This is how much water is in your burger: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/02/this-is-how-much-water-is-in-your-burger/

WMHPG news, information and resources 19 June 2020

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Sustainable development goals

Deaths involving COVID-19 by local area and socioeconomic deprivation: deaths occurring between 1 March and 31 May 2020: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsinvolvingcovid19bylocalareasanddeprivation/deathsoccurringbetween1marchand31may2020 “In England, the age-standardised mortality rate of deaths involving COVID-19 in the most deprived areas was 128.3 deaths per 100,000 population; this was more than double the mortality rate in the least deprived areas (58.8 deaths per 100,000).”

Coronavirus Antibody Tests Have a Mathematical Pitfall: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coronavirus-antibody-tests-have-a-mathematical-pitfall/

Is the K number the new R number? What you need to know: https://theconversation.com/is-the-k-number-the-new-r-number-what-you-need-to-know-140286

Cupcakes for breakfast - is that what poverty looks like? https://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/cupcakes-breakfast-what-poverty-looks

IPPR - The decades of disruption: New social risks and the future of the welfare state: https://www.ippr.org/future-welfare-state/

Wealthy pay less tax than official headline rates, study finds: https://www.ft.com/content/09f373cb-bda7-4989-8793-472ac338956a

Good Things Foundation – DevicesDotNow: https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/devicesdotnow “In this new socially distanced world, FutureDotNow and Good Things Foundation are coordinating action through a new initiative called DevicesDotNow, targeting digitally excluded households without access to the internet.”

Healthy planning & environment

Design Council – Delivering Urban Quality Time to Get Serious – The case for a design quality unit for England: https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/delivering-urban-quality-time-get-serious

Cities are getting hotter, but we can redesign them to keep us cool: https://www.fastcompany.com/90379081/cities-are-getting-hotter-but-we-can-redesign-them-to-keep-us-cool

LGA - Councillor's workbook on mentally healthier places: https://www.local.gov.uk/councillors-workbook-mentally-healthier-places

The hidden mental health crisis of the cladding scandal: https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/insight/the-hidden-mental-health-crisis-of-the-cladding-scandal-66689

Racism Is Killing the Planet: https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/racism-killing-planet

Read Up on the Links Between Racism and the Environment: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/05/climate/racism-climate-change-reading-list.html

George Monbiot: From coronavirus to public luxury: https://theecologist.org/2020/jun/11/george-monbiot-coronavirus-public-luxury

Equitable Development During & After COVID-19: Five Takeaways: https://www.pps.org/article/equitable-development-during-and-after-covid-19-five-takeaways

Housing

Stuck at home in a cold home: the implications of Covid-19 for the fuel poor: https://extra.shu.ac.uk/ppp-online/stuck-at-home-in-a-cold-home-the-implications-of-covid-19-for-the-fuel-poor/

Building the right home - transforming care for people with a learning disability, autism or both: https://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/type/Building-the-right-home-transforming-care-for-people-with-a-learning-disability-autism-or-both/

We can’t end homelessness without an end to youth homelessness: https://housingevidence.ac.uk/we-cant-end-homelessness-without-an-end-to-youth-homelessness/

Climate change & sustainability

Understanding and managing connected extreme events: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0790-4 “Here, we present a multidisciplinary argument for the concept of connected extreme events, and we suggest vantage points and approaches for producing climate information useful in guiding decisions about them.”

Deadly humidity events accelerating – study: https://www.scidev.net/global/environment/news/deadly-humidity-events-accelerating-study.html

Climate crisis: alarm at record-breaking heatwave in Siberia: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/17/climate-crisis-alarm-at-record-breaking-heatwave-in-siberia

Climate worst-case scenarios may not go far enough, cloud data shows: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/13/climate-worst-case-scenarios-clouds-scientists-global-heating

Jet stream: Is climate change causing more ‘blocking’ weather events? https://www.carbonbrief.org/jet-stream-is-climate-change-causing-more-blocking-weather-events

The Climate Group's Top 100 Twitter Accounts 2020: https://www.climateweeknyc.org/climate-groups-top-100-twitter-accounts-2020

Guest post: Cost of extreme weather due to climate change is severely underestimated: https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-cost-of-extreme-weather-due-to-climate-change-is-severely-underestimated

'Surprisingly rapid' rebound in carbon emissions post-lockdown: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/11/carbon-emissions-in-surprisingly-rapid-surge-post-lockdown

Emissions Are Surging Back as Countries and States Reopen: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/17/climate/virus-emissions-reopening.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes

Emissions from 13 dairy firms match those of entire UK, says report; https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/15/emissions-from-13-dairy-firms-match-those-of-entire-uk-says-report - more here - Milking the Planet: How big dairy is heating up the planet and hollowing rural communities: https://www.iatp.org/milking-planet

IEA: ‘Green’ coronavirus recovery would keep global emissions below 2019 peak: https://www.carbonbrief.org/iea-green-coronavirus-recovery-would-keep-global-emissions-below-2019-peak

Green recovery plan for the West Midlands announced: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/green-recovery-plan-for-the-west-midlands-announced/

Climate emission killer: construction begins on world’s biggest liquid air battery: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/18/worlds-biggest-liquid-air-battery-starts-construction-in-uk

Councils predict one million new low-carbon jobs by 2050: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Councils-predict-one-million-new-low-carbon-jobs-by-2050/50600

Climate crisis: UK's record coal-free power run comes to an end: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/coal-free-power-uk-record-time-2020-how-long-renewable-energy-a9570891.html

Covid-19 pandemic is 'fire drill' for effects of climate crisis, says UN official: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/15/covid-19-pandemic-is-fire-drill-for-effects-of-climate-crisis-says-un-official

How much do people around the world care about climate change? We surveyed 80,000 people in 40 countries to find out: https://theconversation.com/how-much-do-people-around-the-world-care-about-climate-change-we-surveyed-80-000-people-in-40-countries-to-find-out-140801

Scientists are trying to save coral reefs. Here's what's working.: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/scientists-work-to-save-coral-reefs-climate-change-marine-parks/

Active travel & transport

Use of the prevented fraction for the population to determine deaths averted by existing prevalence of physical activity: a descriptive study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214109X20302114 “Existing physical activity prevalence has contributed to averting premature mortality across all countries. PFP has utility as an advocacy tool to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours. By making the case of what has been achieved, the prevented fraction can show the value of current investment and services, which might be conducive to political support.”

Cities must act to secure the future of urban cycling: our research shows how: https://theconversation.com/cities-must-act-to-secure-the-future-of-urban-cycling-our-research-shows-how-138156

A secret erosion of the lockdown? The activity patterns of Britons in March and April 2020: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/activity-patterns-during-the-lockdown/

Rebuilding the bus market in a post-Covid world to meet the route to zero carbon challenge: https://ciltuk.org.uk/News/Latest-News/ArtMID/6887/ArticleID/28894/Rebuilding-the-bus-market-in-a-post-Covid-world-to-meet-the-route-to-zero-carbon-challenge

A green recovery must have public transport at its heart: https://www.transporttimes.co.uk/news.php/A-green-recovery-must-have-public-transport-at-its-heart-519/

Landmark million-mile battery to power electric vehicles is ready for production: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/electric-cars-tesla-elon-musk-million-mile-battery-a9559411.html

Green 'flash' number plates to encourage the switching to electric cars and avoid congestion charges: https://news.sky.com/story/green-flash-number-plates-to-encourage-the-switching-to-electric-cars-and-avoid-congestion-charges-12007635

Congestion set to exceed pre-lockdown levels as cars crowd back on to UK roads: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/14/congestion-set-to-exceed-pre-lockdown-levels-as-cars-crowd-back-on-to-uk-roads

Garden villages locking-in car dependency, says report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-53050801

Air quality & pollution

Exposure to air pollution impairs cellular energy metabolism: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200615100929.htm “Exposure to air particulate matter impairs the metabolism of olfactory mucosal cells, according to a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland.”

Coronavirus: UK has legal duty to review air pollution targets, say lawyers: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/16/coronavirus-uk-has-legal-duty-to-review-air-pollution-targets-say-lawyers

Blue-sky thinking: how cities can keep air clean after coronavirus: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/07/blue-sky-thinking-how-cities-can-keep-air-clean-after-coronavirus

Here’s proof that plastic keeps hanging around - Researchers put a date on their deep-sea discoveries: https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/oceans/heres-proof-that-plastic-keeps-hanging-around/

Plastic superhighway: the awful truth of our hidden ocean waste: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/16/plastic-knows-no-borders-the-manmade-scourge-washing-up-on-the-worlds-shores

Trump Administration to waive rules, clearing the way for more polluting projects: https://foe.org/news/trump-administration-waives-rules-clearing-the-way-for-more-polluting-projects/

Food & food security

How can we build resilient food systems in the COVID-19 recovery? https://localtrust.org.uk/news-and-stories/blog/how-can-we-build-resilient-food-systems-in-the-covid-19-recovery/

Marcus Rashford: a brief history of free school meals in the UK: https://theconversation.com/marcus-rashford-a-brief-history-of-free-school-meals-in-the-uk-140896

Boris Johnson to provide free school meal vouchers in major U-turn after Marcus Rashford campaign: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-free-school-meal-vouchers-marcus-rashford-england-a9568601.html

Is food security a relevant argument against environmental measures in the EU? https://slakner.wordpress.com/2020/06/17/is-food-security-a-relevant-argument-against-environmental-measures-in-the-eu/

Why one-size-fits-all diets don’t work – new study: https://theconversation.com/why-one-size-fits-all-diets-dont-work-new-study-140655

Supertrawlers ‘making a mockery’ of UK’s protected seas: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/11/supertrawlers-making-a-mockery-of-uks-protected-seas

Obesity Action Scotland - Response to the Scottish Government's announcement that it will not be taking forward the Restricting Food Promotions Bill: https://www.obesityactionscotland.org/news/response-to-the-scottish-governments-announcement-that-it-will-not-be-taking-forward-the-restricting-food-promotions-bill/

WMHPG news, information and resources 12 June 2020

We do not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

Imperial College London – free online public health courses: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/194332/school-public-health-launches-latest-online/ “The Foundations of Public Health Practice MOOCs (Massive Online Open Course) provide more than 50 hours of content introducing core public health topics such as health improvement, communicable disease control and behaviour change - all delivered by practising public health professionals.”

Sustainable development goals

ONS - Shining a Light on Global Inequality: Sustainable Development Goals Update: https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2020/06/10/shining-a-light-on-global-inequality-sustainable-development-goals-update/ - one particularly relevant finding – “Data for maternal mortality broken down by ethnicity shows that black women are up to four times more likely to die in pregnancy than the UK average.”

How the George Floyd Killing Is Just as Relevant in the UK, and What You Can Do About It: https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/n7wbyw/george-floyd-uk-state-racism?mc_cid=39fcc38384&mc_eid=a15a43d447

Over 150 companies, trade groups, and campaigners urge government to align recovery with Sustainable Development Goals: https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4016231/150-companies-trade-campaigners-urge-government-align-recovery-sustainable-development-goals

1.1 million more people face poverty at end of 2020 as a result of coronavirus pandemic, finds IPPR: https://www.ippr.org/news-and-media/press-releases/1-1-million-more-people-face-poverty-at-end-of-2020-as-a-result-of-coronavirus-pandemic-finds-ippr

Local Delivery: Protecting social infrastructure: http://www.localis.org.uk/research/local-delivery/

Widespread facemask use could shrink the ‘R’ number and prevent a second COVID-19 wave – study: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/widespread-facemask-use-could-shrink-the-r-number-and-prevent-a-second-covid-19-wave-study “Even basic homemade masks significantly reduce transmission at a population level, according to latest modelling. Researchers call for information campaigns that encourage the making and wearing of facemasks.”

WHO – Covid-10 cross country analysis –

Healthy planning & environment

Green Space Index: http://www.fieldsintrust.org/green-space-index - more here - Parks and green spaces at risk, charity warns: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/parks-and-green-spaces-at-risk-charity-warns/ “Almost 20,000 football pitches worth of green space could be lost over the next 20 years as the UK’s population increases, a leading charity has warned.”

Revealed: UK banks and investors’ $2bn backing for meat giants linked to Amazon deforestation: https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/06/04/amazon-deforestation-banks-investors-meat-companies/

Fashion and sustainability;

Environmental regulations likely to be first casualties in post-pandemic recovery: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/environmental-regulations-likely-to-be-first-casualties-in-post-pandemic-recovery/

UK Health Alliance on Climate Change calls for a #HealthyRecovery: http://www.ukhealthalliance.org/ “Coronavirus has shown the strength of the world’s united health community. But, as we come through this, it’s vital that we don’t lurch from one health crisis to another, driven by climate change and environmental degradation.”

Demands grow for 'green industrial revolution': https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52906551

Chris Packham: ‘The virus has taught us that we are part of nature, not above it’: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/10/chris-packham-the-virus-has-taught-us-that-we-are-part-of-nature-not-above-it

Bonnin blames nature 'extraction' for coronavirus: https://theecologist.org/2020/jun/04/bonnin-blames-nature-extraction-coronavirus

12 tips to sustain hygiene practices now and post coronavirus in emergencies: https://views-voices.oxfam.org.uk/2020/05/12-tips-to-sustain-hygiene-practices-now-and-post-coronavirus-in-emergencies/

Housing

A third of furloughed private renters worried about paying their rent when lockdown ends: https://www.jrf.org.uk/press/third-furloughed-private-renters-worried-about-paying-their-rent-when-lockdown-ends

Evictions suspended for a further two months: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Evictions-suspended-for-a-further-two-months/50582

London Councils warn spending on homelessness is 'unsustainable': https://www.localgov.co.uk/London-Councils-warn-spending-on-homelessness-is-unsustainable/50583

Frontline services warn of rise in homelessness: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Frontline-services-warn-of-rise-in-homelessness/50562

Help to Build: An emergency plan to support housing supply: https://www.cps.org.uk/research/help-to-build-an-emergency-plan-to-support-housing-supply/

Climate change & sustainability

I’m a black climate expert. Racism derails our efforts to save the planet.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/06/03/im-black-climate-scientist-racism-derails-our-efforts-save-planet/ “Stopping climate change is hard enough, but racism only makes it harder”

Black Environmentalists Talk About Climate and Anti-Racism: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/03/climate/black-environmentalists-talk-about-climate-and-anti-racism.html

The climate movement's silence: https://heated.world/p/the-climate-movements-silence “On insidious anti-blackness in climate activism, and the rise of Climate Chads.”

The climate crisis will affect the poor and minority groups worst- that’s why no rich nations are prioritising it: https://inews.co.uk/opinion/climate-crisis-affect-bame-people-most-rich-white-men-not-changing-440391

Climate change drives increase in modeled HIV prevalence: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-020-02753-y “Under the RCP8.5 scenario for warming, I find that climate change will lead to between 11.6 and 16.0 million additional cases of HIV by 2050, an increase in prevalence of 1.4–2.1 percentage points.”

Melting ice opens doors for wider spread of contaminants, diseases:  https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/06/melting-ice-opens-doors-for-wider-spread-of-contaminants-diseases/

Strong Summer Atmospheric Rivers Trigger Greenland Ice Sheet Melt through Spatially Varying Surface Energy Balance and Cloud Regimes: https://journals.ametsoc.org/jcli/article/doi/10.1175/JCLI-D-19-0835.1/348249/Strong-Summer-Atmospheric-Rivers-Trigger-Greenland

A Drop in Sulfate Emissions During the Coronavirus Lockdown Could Intensify Arctic Heatwaves: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/08062020/sulfate-emissions-coronavirus-arctic-heatwaves

Met Office: Why 2020 saw a record-breaking dry and sunny spring across the UK: https://www.carbonbrief.org/met-office-why-2020-saw-a-record-breaking-dry-and-sunny-spring-across-the-uk

Sunny coverage of UK heatwaves forgets risks, say climate experts: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jun/04/sunny-coverage-of-uk-heatwaves-forgets-risks-say-climate-experts

UK Doubled Its Support for Fossil Fuels Since Signing Paris Agreement: https://www.desmog.co.uk/2020/06/03/uk-doubled-its-support-fossil-fuels-signing-paris-agreement

Faster, further, fairer: Putting people at the heart of tackling the climate and nature emergency: https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/faster-further-fairer

RTPI = Rising to the climate crisis: A guide for local authorities planning for climate change: https://t.co/sPCilG9yTP?amp=1

Arctic temperatures hit 30C, raising risk of wildfires: https://inews.co.uk/news/environment/arctic-temperatures-hit-30c-climate-change-forest-fire-risk-443057

Coronavirus crisis could cause $25tn fossil fuel industry collapse: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/04/coronavirus-crisis-collapse-fossil-fuels-demand

BP to cut 10,000 jobs as virus hits demand for oil: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52966609

Global gas demand on course for biggest annual fall on record -IEA: https://uk.reuters.com/article/iea-gas/global-gas-demand-on-course-for-biggest-annual-fall-on-record-iea-idUKL8N2DM3NX

Earth just had its warmest May on record amid startling Siberian heat wave: https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/06/05/earth-just-had-its-warmest-may-record-amid-startling-siberian-heat-wave/

Guest post: How climate change could accelerate the threat of crop diseases: https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how-climate-change-could-accelerate-the-threat-of-crop-diseases

Atmospheric CO2 levels rise sharply despite Covid-19 lockdowns: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/04/atmospheric-co2-levels-rise-sharply-despite-covid-19-lockdowns

Global CO2 measurement hits record high in May despite pandemic: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-emissions/global-co2-measurement-hits-record-high-in-may-despite-pandemic-idUSKBN23B1UP

Britain goes coal-free for two months – longest period since industrial revolution: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/britain-coal-free-industrial-revolution-renewable-energy-climate-change-a9556011.html

‘Final blow’ to aviation climate plan as EU agrees to weaken rules: https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/06/09/final-blow-aviation-climate-plan-eu-agrees-weaken-rules/

Active travel & transport

Stripes for 6: http://brakezebras.org/stripesfor6?mc_cid=abe43fb7cb&mc_eid=%5BUNIQID%5D “Stripes for 6 is a fun road safety challenge for children and their families. Complete 6 challenges in 6 days for a £6 donation for the 6 kids that are killed or seriously injured every day on roads. You can take part in Stripes for 6 at any time, at home or in school.”

Sheffield mayor unveils plan for active travel network and low-traffic areas: https://www.salus.global/article-show/sheffield-mayor-unveils-plan-for-active-travel-network-and-low-traffic-areas

Councils get new powers to tackle misuse of cycle lanes: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Councils-get-new-powers-to-tackle-misuse-of-cycle-lanes/50594

Electric cars: What would a new £6,000 government scrappage scheme actually mean for drivers? https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/boris-johnson-driving-electric-car-scrappage-scheme-2020-a9558361.html

Air quality & pollution

Omission of air pollution from report on Covid-19 and race ‘astonishing’: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/07/omission-of-air-pollution-from-report-on-covid-19-and-race-astonishing

Green recovery must focus on the local variations in air pollution: https://airqualitynews.com/2020/06/10/green-recovery-must-focus-on-local-variations-in-air-pollution/

'More masks than jellyfish': coronavirus waste ends up in ocean: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/08/more-masks-than-jellyfish-coronavirus-waste-ends-up-in-ocean

Major Fuel Spill in Russia’s North Spreads Toward Arctic Ocean: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/09/world/europe/russia-arctic-oil-spill.html

Food & food security

Coronavirus and food banks: The stories behind the statistics: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-food-banks-lockdown-uk-stories-trussell-trust-figures-a9544841.html

Act now to avert COVID-19 global food emergency: Guterres: https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/06/1065962

Local food production isn’t the panacea we may think it is: https://anthropocenemagazine.org/2020/06/local-food-production-isnt-the-panacea-we-may-think-it-is/

WMHPG news, information and resources 05 June 2020

We do not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

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REQUEST FOR INFORMATION – Mental Well-Being Impact Assessment. Does anyone have any experience or examples of the use of the Mental Well-being Impact Assessment (MWIA) framework? This is to support a study at the University of Maastricht - “The barriers and facilitators to successful implementation of the Mental Well-being Impact Assessment (MWIA): A qualitative study exploring the insights and experiences of practitioners, commissioners and users of the MWIA”. Please email Harmke Kooman with any information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sustainable development goals

The urban poor have been hit hard by coronavirus. We must ask who cities are designed to serve: https://theconversation.com/the-urban-poor-have-been-hit-hard-by-coronavirus-we-must-ask-who-cities-are-designed-to-serve-138707

COVID-19: Four Sustainable Development Goals that help future-proof global recovery: https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/covid-19-four-sustainable-development-goals-help-future-proof-global

Make Covid-19 recovery green, say business leaders: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52851185

ADPH Presidential Blog: A time for steady leadership, careful preparation and measured steps: https://www.adph.org.uk/2020/05/adph-presidential-blog-a-time-for-steady-leadership-careful-preparation-and-measured-steps/ “We are at a critical moment. We need to weigh up the balance of risks between easing restrictions, to enable more pupils to return to school, more businesses to open and more social connections to happen, with the risk of causing a resurgence of infections. Directors of Public Health are increasingly concerned that the Government is misjudging this balancing act and lifting too many restrictions, too quickly.“

Redesigning tax for a just, green recovery: https://neweconomics.org/2020/06/redesigning-tax-for-a-just-green-recovery

PHE - COVID-19: review of disparities in risks and outcomes: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-review-of-disparities-in-risks-and-outcomes

Decade of progress in tackling pupil disadvantage 'wiped out': https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jun/03/decade-of-progress-tackling-uk-pupil-disadvantage-wiped-out-coronavirus-school-closures

Healthy planning & environment

Vertebrates on the brink as indicators of biological annihilation and the sixth mass extinction: https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/05/27/1922686117

Living near oil and gas wells tied to low birth weights in infants: https://news.berkeley.edu/2020/06/03/living-near-oil-and-gas-wells-tied-to-low-birth-weights-in-infants/

Jane Goodall: humanity is finished if it fails to adapt after Covid-19: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jun/03/jane-goodall-humanity-is-finished-if-it-fails-to-adapt-after-covid-19

Sir David Attenborough: 'Coronavirus pandemic has swept climate change off the front pages': https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/24/sir-david-attenborough-coronavirus-pandemic-has-swept-climate/

Coronavirus in ‘the lungs of the world’: https://theecologist.org/2020/may/29/coronavirus-lungs-world

Destruction of ancient Aboriginal site sparks calls for reform in Australia: https://news.trust.org/item/20200529115505-zwur4/  

Football pitch-sized area of tropical rainforest lost every six seconds: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/02/football-pitch-area-tropical-rainforest-lost-every-six-seconds

UK food giants mull Brazil boycott to protect forests: https://climatenewsnetwork.net/uk-food-giants-mull-brazil-boycott-to-protect-forests/

Paving the way for the next pandemic: https://theecologist.org/2020/may/27/paving-way-next-pandemic

UCL Open Environment - Call for Papers and Invitation to join our Synthetic Effort and Debate on Shaping the Future during and after the current pandemic: https://ucl.scienceopen.com/collection/covid19-specialseries “UCL Open: Environment is opening a call for papers concerned with the effects on the environment that are and will be consequential on the societal restrictions and subsequent recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Nature on UK doorsteps: thousands sign up for daily 'random acts of wildness': https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/30/nature-on-uk-doorsteps-thousands-sign-up-for-daily-random-acts-of-wildness

Housing

Participants wanted for research exploring living in a small home: https://housingevidence.ac.uk/news/participants-wanted-for-research-exploring-living-in-a-small-home/

‘Too Little, Too Late? Housing for an ageing population: https://www.arcouk.org/press-release/%E2%80%98too-little-too-late-housing-for-an-ageing-population

TCPA Healthy Homes Bill - After several months of work and legal advice, the TCPA are delighted to announce that we have published a new draft of the Healthy Homes Bill. You can download a copy of the bill with explanatory notes here. An updated campaign briefing is also available. 

The housing pandemic: four graphs showing the link between COVID-19 deaths and the housing crisis: https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/insight/the-housing-pandemic-four-graphs-showing-the-link-between-covid-19-deaths-and-the-housing-crisis-66562

Houses, homes and nature: https://housingevidence.ac.uk/houses-homes-and-nature/

Climate change & sustainability

It Hit 80 Degrees in the Arctic This Week: https://earther.gizmodo.com/it-hit-80-degrees-in-the-arctic-this-week-1843606717

Abrupt changes in Great Britain vegetation carbon projected under climate change: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.15144

World population facing water stress could ‘double’ by 2050 as climate warms: https://www.carbonbrief.org/world-population-facing-water-stress-could-double-by-2050-as-climate-warms

UK electricity coal free for first month ever: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/02/uk-electricity-coal-free-for-first-month-ever

U.N. confirms year-long delay for crucial climate summit: https://uk.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-climate-summit/u-n-confirms-year-long-delay-for-crucial-climate-summit-idUKL4N2DA3JO

Minister told BP it is “key stakeholder” in climate summit: https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/05/25/cop26-minister-bp-key-stakeholder-climate-conference/

Plunging cost of wind and solar marks turning point in energy transition: IRENA: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-energy-renewables-costs-idUSKBN2390I8

Biggest UK solar plant approved: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52841223

Emissions targets in the oil and gas sector: How do they stack up? http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/news/emissions-targets-in-the-oil-and-gas-sector-how-do-they-stack-up/

Arctic Heatwave Is Reigniting Siberian Tinderbox: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-27/siberian-heatwave-points-to-a-longer-wildfire-season

Plunge in carbon emissions from lockdowns will not slow climate change: https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/2020/05/plunge-in-carbon-emissions-from-lockdowns-will-not-slow

Lions could prevent their prey from adapting to increasing heat, study says: https://www.carbonbrief.org/lions-could-prevent-their-prey-from-adapting-to-increasing-heat-study-says

What to do about greenhouse gases from poo: https://anthropocenemagazine.org/2020/06/what-to-do-about-greenhouse-gases-from-poo/

The climate change clues hidden in art history: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200528-the-climate-change-clues-hidden-in-art-history

Active travel & transport

If all cars were electric, UK carbon emissions would drop by 12%: https://theconversation.com/if-all-cars-were-electric-uk-carbon-emissions-would-drop-by-12-139155

Hydrogen cars won’t overtake electric vehicles because they’re hampered by the laws of science: https://theconversation.com/hydrogen-cars-wont-overtake-electric-vehicles-because-theyre-hampered-by-the-laws-of-science-139899

Transport in the time of Covid-19: fight a black swan with wildcard interventions: https://www.transporttimes.co.uk/news.php/Transport-in-the-time-of-Covid-19-fight-a-black-swan-with-wildcard-interventions-516/

1 in 4 motorists considering EV purchase after lockdown: https://airqualitynews.com/2020/06/02/1-in-4-motorists-considering-ev-purchase-after-lockdown/

Coronavirus recovery: public transport is key to avoid repeating old and unsustainable mistakes: https://airqualitynews.com/2020/05/29/coronavirus-recovery-public-transport-is-key-to-avoid-repeating-old-and-unsustainable-mistakes/

Air quality & pollution

Air pollution and brain health: https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/air-pollution-and-brain-health/83836/

APPG on Air Pollution - Air Quality Strategy to Reduce Coronavirus infection: https://appgairpollution.org/2020/05/29/air-quality-strategy-to-reduce-coronavirus-infection/ “The APPG today launched its Strategy to Reduce Coronavirus Infection as we emerge from Lockdown in order to keep air pollution low and to deliver World Health Organisation Air Quality Standards.”

Coronavirus Lockdowns May Raise Exposure to Indoor Air Pollution: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coronavirus-lockdowns-may-raise-exposure-to-indoor-air-pollution/

World's first plastic-free PPE equipment launched to combat coronavirus pandemic: https://www.edie.net/news/5/World-s-first-plastic-free-PPE-equipment-launched-to-combat-coronavirus-pandemic/

Vehicle tyre particles ‘significant’ source of marine microplastic pollution: https://airqualitynews.com/2020/06/01/vehicle-tyre-particles-significant-source-of-marine-microplastic-pollution/

‘Plastic-free’ fashion is not as clean or green as it seems: https://theconversation.com/plastic-free-fashion-is-not-as-clean-or-green-as-it-seems-139082

Food & food security

Global Food Security Alert, May 28, 2020: COVID-19 pandemic drives global increase in humanitarian food assistance needs: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/global-food-security-alert-may-28-2020-covid-19-pandemic-drives-global-increase

Food banks see huge surge in need as the coronavirus pandemic continues: https://www.trusselltrust.org/food-bank-use-increases-april-2020/ “During April 2020, there was a 89% increase in need for emergency food parcels compared to the same month last year.”

Webinar - 2020 Global Nutrition Report UK Public-Parliamentary Online Event: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zSOJqPLxTJ2v_X9H3h-sXQ “The Global Nutrition Report (GNR) and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nutrition for Growth (APPG N4G) are pleased to invite you to attend a UK Public-Parliamentary online event to discuss the findings of the 2020 report as we look forward to the next N4G Summit. Register now to be part of the discussion! Save the Date: Thursday 18 June 2020, 4−5pm BST”

Swarms of locusts threaten food security for millions in India amid COVID-19 pandemic: https://news.sky.com/story/swarms-of-locusts-threaten-food-security-for-millions-in-india-amid-covid-19-pandemic-11996636

Linking Energy, Food Security, and Health Can Help Face COVID-19: http://sdg.iisd.org/commentary/guest-articles/linking-energy-food-security-and-health-can-help-face-covid-19/

WMHPG news, information and resources 22 May May 2020

We do not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

Sustainable development goals

Families, Family Policy and the Sustainable Development Goals: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/families-family-policy-and-sustainable-development-goals

What’s really happening to poverty during the coronavirus outbreak? https://medium.com/inside-jrf/whats-really-happening-to-poverty-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak-81beb11936b7

Children Cut Adrift As Poverty Leaves Covid-Generation Facing A Perilous Future: https://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/children-cut-adrift-as-poverty-leaves-covid-generation-facing-a-perilous-future/

Citizens Advice - Down to the minute: how our data reveals the nation’s concerns in real-time: https://wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/down-to-the-minute-how-our-data-reveals-the-nations-concerns-in-real-time-24fb8c9ceee “As the coronavirus outbreak continues and the government announces new measures, there are very few ways to instantly understand how the nation is reacting. But Citizens Advice is one of the unique organisations that can provide that insight down to the minute.”

Why we need the human touch in contact tracing for coronavirus: https://theconversation.com/why-we-need-the-human-touch-in-contact-tracing-for-coronavirus-137933

Coronavirus: big tobacco sees an opportunity in the pandemic: https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-big-tobacco-sees-an-opportunity-in-the-pandemic-138188

An Overview of Measurements In Epidemiology (via @paimadhu on Twitter): https://t.co/6BFZXMBqT8?amp=1 “Incidence, prevalence, odds, risk, rate, relative risk, excess risk, risk reduction, hazard... Confused? When I was a PhD student @UCBerkeleySPH, I worked on a handout to reduce my confusion. Here is the latest iteration I use for teaching epi.”

Healthy planning & environment

The Recovery Will Happen in Public Space: https://www.pps.org/article/the-recovery-will-happen-in-public-space

Event – Place Alliance: Delivering Urban Quality Time to Get Serious – Online launch: National Design Quality Unit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-launch-national-design-quality-unit-tickets-105508595048 27 May, 10-11am.

Report suggests a new tax for people living near to public parks: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Report-suggests-a-new-tax-for-people-living-near-to-public-parks/50482 - from the Social Market Foundation – (as an aside, Powerbase is a useful resource for understanding think tanks - https://powerbase.info/index.php/Social_Market_Foundation)

Housing

Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic: the central role of home: https://housingevidence.ac.uk/coping-with-the-covid-19-pandemic-the-central-role-of-home/

New project: Housing policies and the COVID-19 pandemic: https://housingevidence.ac.uk/new-project-housing-policies-and-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Climate change & sustainability

Guest post: A brief history of climate targets and technological promises: https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-a-brief-history-of-climate-targets-and-technological-promises

India's carbon emissions fall for first time in four decades: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-52614770 “India's CO2 emissions have fallen for the first time in four decades - and not just as a result of the country's coronavirus lockdown.”

A range of views and commentary around the impact of the pandemic on the future of energy and on climate change;

Major tropical cyclones have become ‘15% more likely’ over past 40 years: https://www.carbonbrief.org/major-tropical-cyclones-have-become-15-more-likely-over-past-40-years

Climate Change Is Making Hurricanes Stronger, Researchers Find: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/climate/climate-changes-hurricane-intensity.html

Just how hot will it get this century? Latest climate models suggest it could be worse than we thought: https://theconversation.com/just-how-hot-will-it-get-this-century-latest-climate-models-suggest-it-could-be-worse-than-we-thought-137281

Arctic sea ice has melted by 20% in a decade, Nasa research finds: https://inews.co.uk/news/environment/arctic-sea-ice-melted-thinner-nasa-research-2854392

Climate change is turning parts of Antarctica green, say scientists: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/20/climate-change-turning-parts-antarctica-green-say-scientists-algae

Climate change 'undermining progress in fight against cancer': https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-cancer-greenhouse-gas-oil-wildfires-a9520256.html

The unknown climate-killer deal we’ll have to tackle next: http://www.foeeurope.org/climate-killer-deal-tackle-next-180520

The court case that could spoil BP’s North Sea oil drilling plans: https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/news/the-court-case-that-could-spoil-bps-north-sea-oil-drilling-plans/

The hidden carbon tradeoffs of telecommuting - Working from home might not save as much energy as we wish: https://anthropocenemagazine.org/2020/05/the-hidden-carbon-tradeoffs-of-telecommuting/

Brexit and Climate Science Denial: Johnson, Gove and Raab – all part of the Tufton Street Network: https://bylinetimes.com/2019/06/10/brexit-and-climate-science-denial-johnson-gove-and-raab-all-part-of-the-tufton-street-network/

Active travel & transport

Statutory guidance: Traffic Management Act 2004: network management in response to COVID-19: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reallocating-road-space-in-response-to-covid-19-statutory-guidance-for-local-authorities/traffic-management-act-2004-network-management-in-response-to-covid-19 “When the country gets back to work, we need them to carry on cycling, and to be joined by millions more. With public transport capacity reduced, the roads in our largest cities, in particular, may not be able to cope without it.”

Following on from the previous item – the Government is promoting the development of active travel as part of exiting lockdown and longer term management of Covid19 – some articles that develop these ideas;

Report: Tesla’s Next Battery Will Make EVs Cost the Same as Gas Cars: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/amp32476367/tesla-battery-electric-cars-cheaper/

Air quality & pollution

Property website listing local air quality levels: https://airqualitynews.com/2020/05/19/property-website-listing-local-air-quality-levels/

Silly Billy: what the Ikea bookcase tells us about the true cost of fast furniture: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/may/19/silly-billy-what-the-ikea-bookcase-tells-us-about-the-true-cost-of-fast-furniture

The end of plastic? New plant-based bottles will degrade in a year: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/16/the-end-of-plastic-new-plant-based-bottles-will-degrade-in-a-year

Everyday products are full of harmful chemicals. Can green chemistry lead the way to safer alternatives? https://ensia.com/features/green-chemistry-safer-consumer-products/

Food & food security

2020 Global Nutrition Report – launch video and presentation slides: https://globalnutritionreport.org/resources/about-malnutrition/

Food security annual review demand: https://theecologist.org/2020/may/13/food-security-annual-review-demand

Building resilient local food systems: https://landworkersalliance.org.uk/building-resilient-local-food-systems/

Food security: do we need to rethink our just in time supply chain post coronavirus? https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/supply-chain/food-security-do-we-need-to-rethink-our-just-in-time-supply-chain-post-coronavirus/604872.article

Revealed: US meat lobby working to ditch chlorinated chicken ban in UK trade talks: https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/05/14/chlorinated-chicken-brexit-trade-talks-liz-truss/

The government must take a stand on food security – or the US will do it for us: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/the-grocer-blog-daily-bread/the-government-must-take-a-stand-on-food-security-or-the-us-will-do-it-for-us/604785.article

And finally….

Winners of the 2020 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition: https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2020/05/winners-2020-bigpicture-natural-world-photography-competition/611491/

Robot dog to noodle hats: eight quirky ways cities are encouraging distancing: https://news.trust.org/item/20200515134812-x35pd/

WMHPG news, information and resources 8 May May 2020

We do not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

Sustainable development goals

Universal basic income seems to improve employment and well-being: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2242937-universal-basic-income-seems-to-improve-employment-and-well-being/#Echobox=1588847201

Ethnic minority deaths and Covid-19: what are we to do? https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/blog/2020/04/ethnic-minority-deaths-covid-19

Public health must be strengthened for a healthy post-COVID world: https://epha.org/public-health-must-be-strengthened-for-a-healthy-post-covid-world/

Talking about coronavirus and poverty: a guide to framing your messages: https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/talking-about-coronavirus-and-poverty-guide-framing-your-messages

The scandal of modern slavery in the trade of masks and gloves: https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1676

Risk of 'dole queue' future for young people after Covid-19 crisis: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/06/risk-dole-queue-future-young-people-after-covid-19-crisis

Millions predicted to develop tuberculosis as result of Covid-19 lockdown: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/may/06/millions-develop-tuberculosis-tb-covid-19-lockdown

Around 300,000 quit smoking due to coronavirus: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Around-300000-quit-smoking-due-to-coronavirus/50423

Healthy planning & environment

Urban and transport planning pathways to carbon neutral, liveable and healthy cities; A review of the current evidence: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020302038

TCPA Practical Guides - Guide 12: Modern methods of construction: https://www.tcpa.org.uk/tcpa-practical-guides-guide-12-modern-methods-of-construction

Most London pavements too narrow for social distancing, researchers find: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Most-London-pavements-too-narrow-for-social-distancing-researchers-find/50410

New plans unveiled for ‘UK’s first’ net-zero neighbourhood: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/new-plans-unveiled-for-uks-first-net-zero-neighbourhood/

Lockdown isn’t good news for all wildlife – many animals rely on humans for survival: https://theconversation.com/lockdown-isnt-good-news-for-all-wildlife-many-animals-rely-on-humans-for-survival-137213

Amazon faces ‘perfect storm’ of forest clearance, coronavirus and wildfire: https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/05/05/amazon-faces-perfect-storm-forest-clearance-coronavirus-wildfire/

Forests Are Vanishing More Slowly, But Not Slowly Enough: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-07/forests-are-vanishing-more-slowly-but-not-slowly-enough

Covid-19: One Part of an Ecological Public Health Crisis: https://discoversociety.org/2020/04/19/covid-19-one-part-of-an-ecological-public-health-crisis/

The age of stability is over, and coronavirus is just the beginning: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/the-age-of-stability-is-over-and-coronavirus-is-just-the-beginning/

Housing

Coronavirus pandemic puts the spotlight on poor housing quality in England: https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-pandemic-puts-the-spotlight-on-poor-housing-quality-in-england-136453

Homelessness & Public Space During COVID-19: Seven Takeaways: https://www.pps.org/article/homelessness-public-space-during-covid-19-seven-takeaways

District councils warn 500,000 at risk of homelessness: https://www.localgov.co.uk/District-councils-warn-500000-at-risk-of-homelessness/50442

UK housing market grinding to a halt after coronavirus lockdown – Nationwide: https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-britain-houseprice/uk-housing-market-grinding-to-a-halt-after-coronavirus-lockdown-nationwide-idUKKBN22D4LZ

Survey – Your homes and neighbourhoods during the Covid-19 pandemic: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PlaceAlliance-HomesDuringCovid-19 “This survey is an attempt to understand how well or poorly the design of our home environments – our homes and neighbourhoods – have been supporting us during the period of Coronavirus lockdown£

Four steps to unlock affordable home-ownership: https://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/four-steps-unlock-affordable-home-ownership

The unequal impact of COVID-19 on black, Asian, minority ethnic and refugee communities: https://housingevidence.ac.uk/the-unequal-impact-of-covid-19-on-black-asian-minority-ethnic-and-refugee-communities/

Climate change & sustainability

This interactive tool shows you how the coronavirus pandemic is—and is not—affecting climate change: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/01/interactive-tool-how-coronavirus-pandemic-affecting-climate-change.html

Future of the human climate niche: https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/04/28/1910114117 “We demonstrate that depending on scenarios of population growth and warming, over the coming 50 y, 1 to 3 billion people are projected to be left outside the climate conditions that have served humanity well over the past 6,000 y. Absent climate mitigation or migration, a substantial part of humanity will be exposed to mean annual temperatures warmer than nearly anywhere today.”

Committee on Climate Change - Letter: Building a resilient recovery from the COVID-19 crisis to Prime Minister Boris Johnson: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/letter-building-a-resilient-recovery-from-the-covid-19-crisis-to-prime-minister-boris-johnson/

Analysis: What impact will the coronavirus pandemic have on atmospheric CO2? https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-what-impact-will-the-coronavirus-pandemic-have-on-atmospheric-co2

Leading economists: Green coronavirus recovery also better for economy: https://www.carbonbrief.org/leading-economists-green-coronavirus-recovery-also-better-for-economy

On a Melting Planet, More Precisely Tracking the Decline of Ice: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/30042020/ice-glacier-melting-science-study

'What can I realistically do about climate change?' https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/05/what-can-i-realistically-do-about-climate-change/

Amid pandemic, U.S. renewable power sources have topped coal for 40 days: https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-usa-electricity-renewables/amid-pandemic-u-s-renewable-power-sources-have-topped-coal-for-40-days-idUKKBN22G2X2

The Syrian Job: Uncovering the Oil Industry's Radioactive Secret: https://desmog.co.uk/2020/04/29/syrian-job-oil-industry-radioactive-secret

Michael Moore's 'Planet of the Humans' documentary peddles dangerous climate denial: https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/05/michael-moores-planet-of-the-humans-documentary-peddles-dangerous-climate-denial/

NASA space lasers show sea levels have risen by 14mm in 17 years: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/sea-levels-antarctica-greenland-nasa-ice-satellite-a4428946.html

Active travel & transport

First online tool to help residents share views on emergency walking and cycling infrastructure: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/news/2020/may/first-online-tool-to-help-residents-share-views-on-emergency-walking-and-cycling-infrastructure/

Air quality & pollution

India chemical leak: more evacuations amid fears of second gas release: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/08/india-chemical-leak-more-evacuations-amid-fears-of-second-gas-release

Air quality making headlines during the coronavirus lockdown: https://airqualitynews.com/2020/05/04/air-quality-making-headlines-during-the-coronavirus-lockdown/

How to reduce and manage your exposure to indoor air pollution: https://www.c40knowledgehub.org/s/article/How-to-reduce-and-manage-your-exposure-to-indoor-air-pollution?language=en_US

'Microplastic Hot Spots' Are Tainting Deep-Sea Ecosystems: https://www.wired.com/story/microplastic-hotspots/

Rubbish is piling up and recycling has stalled – waste systems must adapt: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/rubbish-is-piling-up-and-recycling-has-stalled-waste-systems-must-adapt/

Food & food security

Food banks report record spike in need as the coronavirus pandemic unfolds: https://www.trusselltrust.org/food-banks-report-record-spike/

The pandemic’s implications for food security: https://www.trtworld.com/opinion/the-pandemic-s-implications-for-food-security-35871

Returning our food systems to business as usual would be a historic mistake: https://meta.eeb.org/2020/04/29/returning-our-food-systems-to-business-as-usual-would-be-a-historic-mistake/

Locusts and Covid-19: Africa braces for a double blow: http://climatetracker.org/locusts-covid-19-africa/

WMHPG news, information and resources 1 May 2020

We do not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

Sustainable development goals

Masks for the public: laying straw men to rest: https://www.authorea.com/users/316109/articles/446320-masks-for-the-public-laying-straw-men-to-rest

Universal basic income could improve the nation’s mental health: https://theconversation.com/universal-basic-income-could-improve-the-nations-mental-health-123816

Mitigating the wider health effects of covid-19 pandemic response: https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1557.full “Health inequalities are likely to widen without action to support those most vulnerable to the economic and other effects of social distancing measures, argue Margaret Douglas and colleagues”

Gender and Covid-19: the immediate impact the crisis is having on women: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/gender-and-covid19/

Parenting in Poverty Under Lockdown: https://atd-uk.org/2020/04/20/the-right-to-family-life-under-lockdown/

Sorry, we’re closed: Understanding the impact of retail’s decline on people and places: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/sorry-were-closed-understanding-the-impact-of-retails-decline-on-people-and-places/

Healthy planning & environment

Strengthening the links between planning and health in England: https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m795

RTPI - Priorities for Planning Reform in England: https://www.rtpi.org.uk/prioritiesforplanning “This paper sets out the RTPI’s analysis of the government’s objectives and proposals for planning reform, as well as RTPI’s own objectives and recommendations. It urges the government to consider a wider set of objectives for planning reform, and to recognise the value of strategic, proactive planning in supporting a sustainable economic recovery."

Councillors show support for remote planning consultations: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Councillors-show-support-for-remote-planning-consultations/50374

Coronavirus: we’re in a real-time laboratory of a more sustainable urban future: https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-were-in-a-real-time-laboratory-of-a-more-sustainable-urban-future-135712

Councils praised for reopening hundreds of parks: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Councils-praised-for-reopening-hundreds-of-parks/50384

Lithuanian capital to be turned into vast open-air café: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/28/lithuanian-capital-to-be-turned-into-vast-open-air-cafe-vilnius

Breaking down the Amazon: how deforestation could drive the next pandemic: https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/04/24/deforestation-amazon-next-pandemic-covid-coronavirus/

Insects: worldwide study reveals widespread decline since 1925: https://theconversation.com/insects-worldwide-study-reveals-widespread-decline-since-1925-137089

The insect apocalypse is more nuanced than we thought: https://anthropocenemagazine.org/2020/04/lessons-learned-from-freshwater-bugs-can-lead-us-out-of-the-insect-apocalypse/

Breaking down the Amazon: how deforestation could drive the next pandemic: https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/04/24/deforestation-amazon-next-pandemic-covid-coronavirus/

Housing

Coronavirus pandemic puts the spotlight on poor housing quality in England: https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-pandemic-puts-the-spotlight-on-poor-housing-quality-in-england-136453

Homelessness & Public Space During COVID-19: Seven Takeaways: https://www.pps.org/article/homelessness-public-space-during-covid-19-seven-takeaways

Blog series: coronavirus, housing and home: https://housingevidence.ac.uk/news/blog-series-coronavirus-housing-and-home/

Private renters’ housing experiences in lightly regulated markets: Review of qualitative research: https://housingevidence.ac.uk/publications/private-renters-housing-experiences-in-lightly-regulated-markets-review-of-qualitative-research/

Climate change & sustainability

Mini quiz (one question…) – When was the first solar panel produced?  - First Solar Battery: https://www.onthisday.com/photos/1st-solar-battery

Eunice Foote: the mother of climate change: https://www.chemistryworld.com/culture/eunice-foote-the-mother-of-climate-change/4011315.article “The first person to link carbon dioxide to atmospheric warming has almost been forgotten. Rachel Brazil uncovers her story”

The Best Way to Slow Global Warming? You Decide in This Climate Simulator: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-global-warming-simulator/

State of the climate: First quarter of 2020 is second warmest on record: https://www.carbonbrief.org/state-of-the-climate-first-quarter-of-2020-is-second-warmest-on-record

IEA: Coronavirus impact on CO2 emissions six times larger than 2008 financial crisis: https://www.carbonbrief.org/iea-coronavirus-impact-on-co2-emissions-six-times-larger-than-financial-crisis

Oil market faces storage crisis in a world awash with crude: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/25/oil-market-storage-crisis-coronavirus-plummeting-demand

The world is on lockdown. So where are all the carbon emissions coming from? https://grist.org/climate/the-world-is-on-lockdown-so-where-are-all-the-carbon-emissions-coming-from/

Analysis: Great Britain hits coal-free electricity record amid coronavirus lockdown: https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-great-britain-hits-coal-free-electricity-record-amid-coronavirus-lockdown

Solar and Wind Cheapest Sources of Power in Most of the World: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-28/solar-and-wind-cheapest-sources-of-power-in-most-of-the-world

Coronavirus lockdown sees solar generation reach record levels: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/coronavirus-lockdown-sees-solar-generation-reach-record-levels/

Comment on the potential for sustainable development as part of pandemic recovery;

The Number of People Affected by Floods Will Double by 2030: https://www.wri.org/blog/2020/04/aqueduct-floods-investment-green-gray-infrastructure

Seabed fossils show the ocean is undergoing a change not seen for 10,000 years: https://theconversation.com/seabed-fossils-show-the-ocean-is-undergoing-a-change-not-seen-for-10-000-years-136804

The Sound of One Shrimp Snapping - How climate change is altering nature’s sonic landscape: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/science/climate-change-sound-animals.html

Michael Moore produced a film about climate change that’s a gift to Big Oil: https://www.vox.com/2020/4/28/21238597/michael-moore-planet-of-the-humans-climate-change

COVIDeniers: Anti-Science Coronavirus Denial Overlaps with Climate Denial: https://www.desmogblog.com/covideniers-anti-science-covid-19-denial-overlaps-climate-denial

Active travel & transport

Sustrans launches first online map to help key workers find offers on bikes and repair services: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/news/2020/april/sustrans-launches-first-online-map-to-help-key-workers-find-offers-on-bikes-and-repair-services/

Councils urged to make cycling and walking safer during lockdown: https://www.localgov.co.uk/Councils-urged-to-make-cycling-and-walking-safer-during-lockdown/50379

Transport and Environment – From evolution to revolution: T&E 2019 annual report: https://www.transportenvironment.org/annual-report-2019/

Calls for more space for walking and cycling in UK during lockdown: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/28/calls-for-more-space-walking-cycling-uk-during-lockdown-coronavirus

Air quality & pollution

Coronavirus detected on particles of air pollution: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/24/coronavirus-detected-particles-air-pollution

Air pollution returns to China: https://meta.eeb.org/2020/04/23/air-pollution-returns-to-china/

Microplastics disrupt hermit crabs' ability to choose shell, study suggests: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/29/microplastics-disrupt-hermit-crabs-ability-to-choose-shell-study-suggests

Food & food security

Global Report on Food Crises reveals scope of food crises as COVID-19 poses new risks to vulnerable countries: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_714

COVID-19 Is Expected To Be A Key Driver Of Acute Food Insecurity: https://www.forbes.com/sites/emanuelabarbiroglio/2020/04/23/covid-19-is-expected-to-be-a-key-driver-of-acute-food-insecurity/#28c2f50478ef

Coronavirus crisis puts 8.5m children in UK a pay cheque away from going without food: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/coronavirus-crisis-puts-85m-children-21908857

Wastewater-heated greenhouses could ‘change the face’ of UK sustainable food production: https://environmentjournal.online/articles/wastewater-heated-greenhouses-could-change-the-face-of-uk-sustainable-food-production/

WMHPG news, information and resources 17 April 2020

We do not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

Sustainable development goals

Masks for all? The science says yes.: https://www.fast.ai/2020/04/13/masks-summary/ “Confused about mask wearing? Sure, it’s complicated. But not as complicated as some people imply. We’ve been looking at the science (see our papers Face Masks Against COVID-19: An Evidence Review — with 84 references! — and Face masks for the public during the covid-19 crisis). Here’s a summary of the different streams of evidence, and our take on what it all means.”

COVID-19 in Italy: impact of containment measures and prevalence estimates of infection in the general population: https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/actabiomedica/article/view/9511/8735 “

UN University - Working Paper: Estimates of the impact of COVID-19 on global poverty: https://www.wider.unu.edu/publication/estimates-impact-covid-19-global-poverty - media coverage here: Coronavirus could turn back the clock 30 years on global poverty: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/apr/09/coronavirus-could-turn-back-the-clock-30-years-on-global-poverty

Covid-19: What Austerity Means For Our Health: https://neweconomics.org/2020/03/covid-19-what-austerity-means-for-our-health

A Safety Net For All: The Minimum Income Guarantee would make sure no one falls through the gaps in our social security system: https://neweconomics.org/2020/04/an-income-floor-for-all

Coronavirus response must include digital access to connect us all: https://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/coronavirus-response-must-include-digital-access-connect-us-all

Ten EU countries urge bloc to pursue 'green' coronavirus recovery: https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-climatechange-stim/ten-eu-countries-urge-bloc-to-pursue-green-coronavirus-recovery-idUKKCN21R3BG

Anatomy of the coronavirus collapse: https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/anatomy-of-the-coronavirus-collapse/

Vaccine skepticism reflects basic cognitive differences in mortality-related event frequency estimation: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X20302644

Healthy planning & environment

Temporary urban solutions help us deal with crisis – and can lead to radical shifts in city space: https://theconversation.com/temporary-urban-solutions-help-us-deal-with-crisis-and-can-lead-to-radical-shifts-in-city-space-135248

Planning for an uglier future: https://matthew-carmona.com/2020/03/27/70-planning-for-an-uglier-future/ “Alongside the budget this year we saw the publication of the policy document Planning for the Future.  The document exemplifies the continued split personality that has come to characterise this and previous governments when it comes to planning.”

Opinion: To Reduce The Likelihood Of Future Pandemics, We Need To Rethink Our Relationship With Wild Animals And Wild Places: https://ensia.com/voices/covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic-wild-animals-ecosystems/

Call for abstracts - Cities In A Changing World: Questions Of Culture, Climate And Design – New York/Virtual 2021: https://architecturemps.com/new-york%202021/

Housing

What Is The Likely Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Uk Private Rented Sector? https://housingevidence.ac.uk/what-is-the-likely-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-the-uk-private-rented-sector/

Life Under Lockdown: Our Complex And Varied Relationship With ‘Home’: https://housingevidence.ac.uk/life-under-lockdown-our-complex-and-varied-relationship-with-home/

Climate change & sustainability

The projected timing of abrupt ecological disruption from climate change: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2189-9 “These results highlight the impending risk of sudden and severe biodiversity losses from climate change and provide a framework for predicting both when and where these events may occur.”

Attributing extreme weather to climate change: https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-how-climate-change-affects-extreme-weather-around-the-world

Half UK's true carbon footprint created abroad, research finds: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/16/britain-climate-efforts-undermined-failure-imports-carbon#

Methane Levels Reach an All-Time High: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/methane-levels-reach-an-all-time-high/

Climate change could trigger sudden losses of world's wildlife – study: https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-climate-change-biodiversity/climate-change-could-trigger-sudden-losses-of-worlds-wildlife-study-idUKKCN21Q28W

Climate change: UK forests 'could do more harm than good': https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52200045

The world will recover from coronavirus – but unless we learn from the pandemic, it won’t recover from climate change: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/coronavirus-climate-change-co2-emissions-economy-a9448006.html

Climate monitoring and research could fall victim to coronavirus, scientists fear: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/apr/03/climate-monitoring-research-coronavirus-scientists

Analysis: Coronavirus set to cause largest ever annual fall in CO2 emissions: https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-coronavirus-set-to-cause-largest-ever-annual-fall-in-co2-emissions

Coronavirus shows we are not at all prepared for the security threat of climate change: https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-shows-we-are-not-at-all-prepared-for-the-security-threat-of-climate-change-136029

Greenland ice sheet shrinks by record amount - climate study: https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-climate-change-greenland-idUKKCN21X1UO

Climate crisis: UK aid money funnelled into fossil fuel companies: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-crisis-uk-foreign-aid-money-fossil-fuel-africa-asia-cdc-group-a9464561.html

Climate Science Deniers Use Coronavirus to Downplay Environmental Threats: https://www.desmog.co.uk/2020/04/01/coronavirus-covid-19-climate-denier-response

Artificial intelligence and climate change converge: https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/03/artificial-intelligence-and-climate-change-converge/

As the planet warms, can we afford to treat poop as waste? https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/04/as-the-planet-warms-can-we-afford-to-treat-poop-as-waste/

Active travel & transport

Sustrans launches first online map to help key workers find on offer bikes and repair services: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/news/2020/april/sustrans-launches-first-online-map-to-help-key-workers-find-on-offer-bikes-and-repair-services/ “Our Cycles for Key Workers map helps to make cycling easier for NHS staff and other key workers amid Covid-19. It shows offers on bike purchasing and hire, equipment, repairs and maintenance available to key workers in their local area.”

Effect of reducing the posted speed limit to 30 km per hour on pedestrian motor vehicle collisions in Toronto, Canada - a quasi experimental, pre-post study: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-8139-5#citeas “Declines in the rate of PMVC were observed on roads with posted speed limit reductions from 40 km/h to 30 km/h, although this effect was not statistically greater than reductions on comparator streets.”

Amateur team builds ultra-efficient electric car in a barn: https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/03/amateur-team-builds-ultra-efficient-electric-car-in-a-barn/

Air quality & pollution

Coronavirus: lockdown’s effect on air pollution provides rare glimpse of low-carbon future: https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-lockdowns-effect-on-air-pollution-provides-rare-glimpse-of-low-carbon-future-134685

VW installed 'defeat devices' to subvert emissions tests, high court finds: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/06/volkswagen-installed-thousands-unlawful-defeat-devices-high-court-dieselgate

Researchers turn used coffee grounds into biodegradable plastic: https://anthropocenemagazine.org/2020/04/waste-coffee-grounds-could-find-new-use-in-plastics/

2018 Saddleworth Moor wildfires exposed 5 million to toxic air: http://airqualitynews.com/2020/04/14/2018-saddleworth-moor-wildfires-exposed-5-million-to-toxic-air/

Food & food security

New Food Foundation Survey: Three Million Britons Are Going Hungry Just Three Weeks Into Lockdown: https://foodfoundation.org.uk/new-food-foundation-survey-three-million-britons-are-going-hungry-just-three-weeks-into-lockdown/

COVID-19 and food security in vulnerable countries: https://unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx?OriginalVersionID=2331

Q&A: Are the 2019-20 locust swarms linked to climate change? https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-are-the-2019-20-locust-swarms-linked-to-climate-change

Ban wildlife markets to avert pandemics, says UN biodiversity chief: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/06/ban-live-animal-markets-pandemics-un-biodiversity-chief-age-of-extinction

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