This episode looks at a global analysis of how city mobility shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on Apple’s Mobility Trends Reports from 296 cities, researchers examined how public health policies influenced walking and public transport use. They found that initiatives promoting walking, such as closing roads to cars, led to a clear rise in walking activity. The study also mapped more than 500 active transportation policies worldwide, revealing that most were introduced in high-income countries. The findings suggest that encouraging walking and other forms of active transport can strengthen public health, support sustainable cities, and improve future pandemic resilience.
Research paper:
Hunter RF, Akaraci S, Wang R, Reis R, Hallal PC, Pentland S, Millett C, Garcia L, Thompson J, Nice K, Zapata-Diomedi B, Moro E. City mobility patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of a global natural experiment. Lancet Public Health. 2024 Nov;9(11):e896-e906
Click here to read the article
Voiced by NotebookLM