Urban Sustainability Versus the Impact of Covid-19

Abstract

Most recent research on urban health has primarily been focused on non-communicable diseases related to sedentary lifestyles, unbalanced diets and the high concentration of pollutants derived from anthropogenic activities. Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, heatstroke and cold-related problems and injuries and accidents due to road traffic were some of the main public health challenges over several decades (HUDU 2007), which aligned perfectly with Sustainable Development Goals #3 (Health and Wellbeing), #11 and #13. However, Covid-19 has brought a new scenario, in which high density in cities has been questioned from the very first outbreak, as transmission of the virus is related to human interaction. This work takes Madrid as a case study. Madrid has a population of 3 266 126 (INE 2019), which Covid-19 impacted with 9134 deaths and more than 70 629 infections from March to June 2020 (Spanish Ministry of Health 2020). The research questions are: Would density be a conduit or obstacle to Madrid's high infection ratio? Is density related to greater resilient networks in the city? Are sustainability variables incompatible with infection prevention? Madrid is a dense city (5400 inhabitants/km²) with a wide range of heterogeneous urban structures, high levels of motorised mobility and discontinuous green areas. The main results of this work are that i) districts with higher rates of contamination were not the denser ones; ii) south-east peripheral districts were more affected than the central ones but they were also the ones with more support networks; iii) finally, overlapping the spatial structure with the social pattern and density does not determine the spread of the disease. Therefore, it is concluded that Madrid has many sustainability parameters that make it resilient. Moreover, the importance of transversal studies to avoid such dramatic episodes and the ability to plan the city to face future pandemics while retaining urban quality of life are highlighted.

Planning for social distancing: How the legacy of historical epidemics shaped COVID-19's spread in Madrid

“…Vulnerability was a major factor in the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic ( Almagro and Orane-Hutchinson, 2022 ; Nathan, 2021 ). In Madrid, the inner suburbs saw more pandemic cases ( Glodeanu et al, 2021 ; Gómez Giménez, 2020 ; Marí-Dell’Olmo et al, 2021 ; Menéndez and Higueras García, 2020 ). Different justifications have rationalised this geographical pattern of COVID-19 impact.…”

“…Different justifications have rationalised this geographical pattern of COVID-19 impact. Characteristics of the built environment, including a scarcity of green areas ( Menéndez and Higueras García, 2020 ) and small dwelling size ( Gómez Giménez, 2020 ), partially explained the impact of the pandemic in vulnerable neighbourhoods. As in other contexts ( McFarlane, 2021 ), density was not a key factor.…”

“…As in other contexts ( McFarlane, 2021 ), density was not a key factor. The densest area of Madrid, the historic city centre, was less affected by disease than the inner suburbs ( Menéndez and Higueras García, 2020 ). However, socio-economic factors like overcrowding ( Gómez Giménez, 2020 ), and a large proportion of ‘essential workers’ who reported to their workplaces even during the lockdown, could have facilitated the spread of the virus ( Glodeanu et al, 2021 ), as was observed in other cities ( Trasberg and Cheshire, 2021 ).…”

“…The arrival of COVID-19 in Madrid had a significant impact on peripheral working-class areas, while the crowded middle- and upper-class neighbourhoods of the city centre initially remained relatively safe. This disproportionate impact seemed to correlate with vulnerability and most affected Madrid’s inner suburbs ( Gómez Giménez, 2020 ; Menéndez and Higueras García, 2020 ; Paisaje Transversal, 2020 ). Madrid is one of Europe’s most unequal cities ( Sorando et al, 2021 ), with a (2012) Gini index of 33.2 ( Leal and Sorando, 2016 ).…”

Can the Pandemic Be a Catalyst of Spatial Changes Leading Towards the Smart City?

“…It also showed that city spatial structures based on mono functionality and separation lead to a faster spread of pathogens than the model based on dispersed areas of human activity. Research conducted in Madrid (Menéndez & Higueras García, 2020) and Porto (da Silva Lopes et al, 2021) during the Covid-19 pandemic has shown an accelerated loss of traditional service functions by city centres, especially those targeting global tourism. These studies highlighted the need to deepen the analysis in the context of the polycentric development of urban structures.…”