Community Spotlight
Step by Step: Walkability as a Path to Planetary Health
The University of Vermont’s Planetary Health Initiative is partnering with Pedestrian Space to develop a forthcoming book that reimagines walkability as a cornerstone of urban resilience, equity, and well-being.
Marking a decade of Planetary Health, this series features stories from our member organizations to reflect the movement’s growth, impact, and vision for a healthier future for people and planet.
In October 2023, the University of Vermont (UVM) launched its university-wide Planetary Health Initiative to advance research at the intersection of environmental stewardship, public health, and global collaboration. As part of this effort, the Initiative is fostering partnerships that further the field of Planetary Health. One such collaboration brings together UVM Press and fellow PHA member Pedestrian Space—an NGO and media platform founded by Annika Lundkvist that champions walkability as a driver of healthier, more sustainable cities.
Together, they are developing Walkability and Planetary Health: Resilience, Engagement, Education and Nature, a contributed volume set for release in 2026. The book positions walkability as a cornerstone of urban health, featuring essays that explore how pedestrian-friendly design fosters resilience, civic engagement, and stronger connections to nature. This collaboration underscores the growing recognition of Planetary Health as both a field of scholarship and a movement for transformative change, reimagining urban environments as spaces that advance equity, quality of life, and collective well-being.
Check out Pedestrian Space to learn more about walkability and Planetary Health, and watch the video below to learn how UVM is mainstreaming Planetary Health.
The UVM Planetary Health Initiative is based on the foundational principles of whole health (physical, mental, social, spiritual, community, and ecological well-being), environmental stewardship (the idea that we can all help preserve our planet), reciprocity (the idea that human and environmental health are inextricably linked), relationships, and hope.