Ten Lessons for Good Practice for the INHERIT Triple Win: Health, Equity, and Environmental Sustainability

Abstract

The world’s challenges of climate change, damage to ecosystems, and social and health inequalities require changes in human behaviours at every level of organisation, among governments, business, communities, and individuals. An important question is how behaviour change can be enabled and supported at the scale and speed required. The research reported in this paper describes important lessons for good practice in changing contexts to modify behaviours for a triple win for health, equity and environmental sustainability. Authors synthesised learning from qualitative, quantitative and cost benefit evaluations of 15 case studies conducted in 12 countries in Europe. The case studies address ways of living (green spaces and energy efficient housing), moving (active transport) and consuming (healthy and sustainable diets) that support the triple win. Ten lessons for good practice were identified. These include bringing a triple win mindset to policy and practice in planning interventions, with potential to improve environmental sustainability, health and equity at the same time. The lessons for good practice are intended to support governmental and non-governmental actors, practitioners and researchers planning to work across sectors to achieve mutual benefits for health and environmental sustainability and in particular to benefit poorer and more socio-economically disadvantaged groups.

Equity, Health, and Sustainability with PROVE: The Evaluation of a Portuguese Program for a Short Distance Supply Chain of Fruits and Vegetables

“…This study presents an evaluation of PROVE, a Portuguese program promoting direct links between consumers and agricultural product growers. PROVE was identified as a promising practice in the consumption domain by the European Union (EU) Horizon 2020 funded INHERIT project-INHERIT (INter-sectoral Health and Environment Research for InnovaTion)-in view of its plausible contributions to health, environment, and equality in the field of consumption [31]. The study applies the INHERIT model [32], a relational model that integrates the DPSEEA (drivers, pressure, state, exposure, effect, actions) model with the behavior change theory and takes into account distributional effects that contribute to inequities.…”

Encouraging and Enabling Lifestyles and Behaviours to Simultaneously Promote Environmental Sustainability, Health and Equity: Key Policy Messages from INHERIT

“…Creating more green space, or walking and cycling lanes in lower income areas may not contribute to residents’ health if they do not perceive such amenities as appealing, and therefore do not use them. It is thus important to understand the social mechanisms and the needs of communities, to determine what can be done to strengthen residents’ capabilities, opportunities or motivation to connect with such facilities [ 34 ] (See recommendation 6).…”

Providing Access to Urban Green Spaces: A Participatory Benefit-Cost Analysis in Spain

“…Urban green spaces can provide multiple benefits to human health by fostering an increase in physical activity [6,7], improving air quality [8], reducing noise pollution [9], and protecting against high temperature and heavy rainfall [10]. Apart from physical health, urban green spaces contribute to people's wellbeing and mental health by increasing recreation activities [11], reducing stress [5] and stimulating social contacts and increasing societal cohesion [12].…”

“…The INHERIT project (www.inherit.eu) investigated whether investing in making urban green spaces accessible to all has potential to contribute to a triple win of improving health, improving equity and contributing to environmental sustainability. Bell et al [6] described important lessons for good practice in changing contexts to modify behaviours and achieve this triple win. Aligned with Kruize et al [12], they highlighted the contribution of green spaces to well-being, and the fact that creating more readily accessible and good quality green space often provides opportunities to socialise and to be active, as well as contributing to mitigate climate change impacts.…”