Health charity urges 949 councillors to improve blue and green spaces for public health

The group urged councillors to improve urban access to nature through new or improved parks. Picture: Conor Ó Mearáin/Collins Photos

More parks, better public transport and cleaner waterways are among the measures newly elected councillors have been urged by work towards by Irish Doctors for the Environment.

Poor diets, inactivity, and air pollution as well as the lack of access to nature all negatively affect people’s health, the charity said in an open letter to all 949 councillors.

“Almost 2,000 people die prematurely due to poor air quality in Ireland every year,” the group warned.

“Our unsustainable, unhealthy diets are causing enormous harm to people of all ages. A large proportion of the Irish population do not get enough exercise, and given Ireland’s lack of thriving nature, access to nature remains poor.” 

The doctors called on councillors to examine options for expanding green spaces on land and blue spaces across waterways.

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“Improve urban access to nature through tree planting, linear parklets, and new or improved parks,” they urged.

“Support rural forest regeneration and nature restoration. Improve Ireland’s water quality and improve the access and quality of our blue spaces.” The charity highlighted links between rising rates of obesity or ill health and the lack of community exercise options for many in Ireland.

They said changes like “wider footpaths, protected wide mobility and cycle lanes and expanded bus, Luas and train networks are urgently needed”.

These changes can also benefit the environment, they pointed out.

A move towards more “active and public transport” will help with a bigger shift away from fossil fuels, the letter states.

Referring to the food options facing people now, they called on councils to “reduce food waste” and work towards creating “a more sustainable, environmentally friendly food system”.

They called for more supports for farmers to help them move to more sustainable practices, and for better access to “a healthier, more plant-based diet” for the general public.

Links between air pollution and conditions such as asthma have been well-established internationally and in Ireland. The group called on councillors to prioritise “safe, clean air” in their regions. This could be done by introducing ultra-low emissions zones and clean air zones, they suggested, as well as more access to public transport.

Councillors are elected for five years. 

“Your five-year term will take us within months of 2030, the year in which we will have to have reduced our emissions by 50%. The next five years will define our lifetimes,” they urged.

“Climate action is not some future issue. It is on your shoulders now.”

Irish Doctors for the Environment is a charity whose members include doctors, medical students, and other allied healthcare workers.