Parks for the Planet: The Way We Live: Parks, People, and Public Spaces #1

Loneliness, crime, and fractured communities are frequent symbols of city life and nine of the top 10 causes of death are related to poor urban design. Many cities have a fundamentally parasitic relationship with their surrounding ecosystems and exacerbate climate change and its symptoms. How can we make these urban environments better for both their populations and the planet? This program will bring together an international, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary group of experts, activists, and changemakers. Together, they will develop new solutions, addressing the critical role parks, nature and public space play in shaping better cities and the different role cities need to play to protect and nourish the people, communities and environment within and around them. In this first virtual session of the 2021 Parks for the Planet Annual Forum, participants will explore the theme of loneliness and the city. Following an opening panel discussion we will explore a series of key questions: How can urban and building design, parks and public spaces promote social connection and reduce loneliness? What would comprise a set of urban-connectedness metrics? How best to measure the current situation and eventual changes to this?