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PLANETARY HEALTH

AN INTRODUCTION

www.planetaryhealthalliance.org

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Humanity has made tremendous public health gains by traditional measures such as decreasing global child mortality and increasing life expectancy

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The Great Acceleration: Consumption Patterns Skyrocket

after 1950

Steffen, Will, et al. "The trajectory of the Anthropocene: the great acceleration." The Anthropocene Review 2.1 (2015): 81-98.

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The Great Acceleration:Accelerated Human

Impacts on Natural Systems

Yet at the same time, we have

disrupted

Earth’s

natural

systems

Steffen, Will, et al. "The trajectory of the Anthropocene: the great acceleration." The Anthropocene Review 2.1 (2015): 81-98.

That same time period has seen dramatic acceleration in human impacts on natural systems.

As these graphs show, the biodiversity and other natural systems we depend on are eroding at an alarming rate. For example:

To feed ourselves, we annually use about 40% of land surface for pastures and croplands, we use about half the planet’s accessible water, largely to irrigate our crops, and we exploit 90% of global fisheries at, or beyond, their maximum sustainable limits.
In the process, we have cut down millions of square kilometers of the world’s forests and dammed over the majority of our rivers.
Increasing global pollution is diminishing the quality of air, water, and land in many parts of the world.
These and other processes are driving the 6th Mass extinction, with roughly 1 million of the earth’s species facing extinction within decades.

We can see OUR measurable impact on Earth’s natural systems. While we have made vitally important health strides, our consumption patterns HAVE DISRUPTED EARTH’S NATURAL SYSTEMS

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Ecological Paradox

The state of human health and that of our planet’s natural systems have been trending in opposite directions.

Myers, 2017

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Six of the Nine Planetary Boundaries Exceeded

The planetary boundaries concept presents a set of nine planetary boundaries within which humanity can continue to develop and thrive for generations to come.

Climate change
Loss of biosphere integrity
Land-system change
Altered biogeochemical cycles
Freshwater change
Novel entities

Azote for Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University. Based on Richardson et al. 2023

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It is

climate change

AND

It is

everything

change

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It is

climate change AND

it is

everything change

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9

It is

climate

change

AND

it is

everything

change

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These changes in our environment severely affect our health and jeopardize decades of public health gains

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Human health impacts include, but are not limited to:

Antimicrobial resistance

Toxin and dioxin exposures

Malnutrition

Respiratory diseases, like asthma and COPD

Heat stroke

Cardiovascular disease

Changing patterns of infectious disease transmission

Civil strife and trauma

Forced displacement and migration

Mental health impacts

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Equity

&

Justice

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Annual carbon dioxide emissions produced per capita

Africa produced about 1.1 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per person in 2019, well below the global average of 4.7. The US produced 16.1 metric tons per capita

Data from 2019, production-based CO2 only, does not account for emissions embedded in traded goods. Map: The Conversation/CC-BY-ND Source: Our World In Data, Global Carbon Project

Data from 2019, vulnerability rises with higher scores. Data not available for regions in grey. Map: The Conversation/CC-BY-ND Source: Edmonds, Lovell and Lovell, 2020

The countries most vulnerable amid climate change

Scientists assessed countries' vulnerability based on food security, water availability, human health and living conditions, ecosystem services and infrastructure, including energy. The most vulnerable are in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Ecological Paradox REVISITED

We have been borrowing against the health of future generations to realize economic and development gains in the present

Rockefeller Foundation – Lancet Commission on Planetary Heath, 2015

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Planetary Health

A solutions-oriented, transdisciplinary field and social movement focused on analyzing and addressing the impacts of human disruptions to Earth’s natural systems on human health and all life on Earth

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Planetary Health overlaps with other important movements, including the ones related to Climate Change & Health and One Health. Climate change & health focuses on how the set of biophysical changes related to a changing climate have a broad range of health repercussions. One Health has traditionally had a focus on zoonotic diseases—one important component of infectious disease.

One of the unique aspects of Planetary Health is that it looks across a broad array of human-caused biophysical changes—the full outer ring of the diagram—to develop a holistic understanding of their interconnected effects on the health and well-being of humans and all living creatures.

Given the shared commitment to addressing the ecological determinants of health, each field brings many important perspectives and knowledge to our common challenges and only by working together will we be able to reach our aspirational goals.

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Impacts of Anthropogenic Change �on Human Health

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This final diagram illustrates the Planetary Health framework.

Human activities are driving changes to Earth's natural systems at unprecedented rates. These changes are driven by technological, consumption, and demographic shifts that increase the use of resources globally. These drivers of change transform our natural systems, changing fundamental conditions for human health and well-being. All of this is underpinned by societal value systems, codified in our socio-economic systems, that drive change and worsen the habitability of the Earth.
These natural systems’ changes are taking place across the following Earth systems: disruption to the global climate system; widespread pollution of air, water, and soils; rapid biodiversity loss; reconfiguration of biogeochemical cycles, including that of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus; pervasive changes in land use and land cover; resource scarcity, including that of fresh water and arable land; and biophysical ocean changes, including increases in temperature and acidity of the oceans.
These changes interact with each other in complex and sometimes uncertain ways, altering the quality of the air we breathe, the water we access, and the food we produce. Changing environmental conditions also alter our exposure to infectious diseases, harmful substances, and natural hazards such as heat waves, droughts, floods, fires, and tropical storms.
To understand how anthropogenic changes to Earth’s natural systems affect human health, it is necessary to consider the context in which we live, including a focus on societal values, culture, governance, health and education systems, socioeconomic status, ethnicity and race, and gender.
These changes in our planet and our lives affect every dimension of our health and well-being, including nutritional outcomes, infectious disease, non-communicable disease, displacement and conflict, and mental health outcomes.

This Planetary Health framework provides a unified lens to see that all of our planetary emergencies - whether they are driven by global pollution, land use change or climate change - are linked together, intersect in complex ways, and revolve around social justice and human survival.

We know that the costs of action are far lower than the costs of inaction. We have many of the tools we need to respond to the Planetary Emergency while other new tools, methodologies and ways of relating to each other and the planet still need to be figured out.

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The Great Transition

Achieving Planetary Health

Requires learning to do nearly everything differently, such as:

Creation of Planetary Health movements and policy shifts

And the stories we tell ourselves about our place in the world, our relationship to Nature, and what it means to live a good life

How we construct and live in our cities

How we produce and consume food, manufactured products, and energy

How we manage our natural landscapes and resources

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The Great Transition:

A Rich Landscape of Solutions

Innovation and Technology (energy, food, built environment, manufacturing, chemistry, etc)
Policy, Law, International Agreements
Private Sector (subsidies, incentives, regulations)
Movement Building/Organizing
New narratives and Social Justice

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Hope and Urgency in Collective Action
Building a Positive Vision
Reconnecting with Nature
Shared Values and Ethics
Today

In addressing these challenges and shaping a sustainable future, we must also recognize the power of collaboration. Collective action harnesses diverse perspectives, resources, and expertise to tackle complex issues that no single entity can solve alone.

Together, we can envision a future where humans thrive in harmony with nature, where cities are designed for sustainability, and where there's room for the entire biosphere to flourish.

As we navigate these challenges, let's rekindle our reverence for the natural world and recognize the intrinsic value of preserving it for future generations.

It's time to reaffirm our collective values and ethics, guiding our decisions towards a more equitable and sustainable world.

The future outcomes depend on the actions we take today. Let's act with urgency and determination to shape a better tomorrow for all and set examples for those who follow.

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São Paulo Declaration on Planetary Health

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October 2021

Published in The Lancet, the Declaration includes concrete actions for 19 stakeholder groups that support a more just and regenerative post-pandemic world.

Groups include: Cities and Urban Planners, Governments, Funders, Media, Researchers, Youth Representatives

Developed by the global Planetary Health community, including over 300 people from 70+ countries via a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) global consultation.

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Planetary Health Roadmap

and Action Plan

Actionable steps for practitioners, policymakers, educators, and the general public.

Five action areas have formed around measuring, communicating, educating, building governance structures, and finding balance between business and Planetary Health.

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About the Planetary Health Alliance

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33K

Individual Members

3,000+

Organizational Members

450+

Countries

75+

A diverse, inclusive community

Community building, research, education, mainstreaming, and action

Committed to understanding and addressing the health impacts of global environmental change

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www.planetaryhealthalliance.org

Community-building • Education • Outreach • Action

Collaborate with over 450 organizations from 75+ countries committed to understanding and addressing Planetary Health: the human health impacts of global environmental change.

Join the Planetary Health Alliance!

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