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NEWSLETTER

October 2025

Photo caption: Nightingale Wakigera, a participant at PHAM 2025, takes a quiet moment by a stream in Het Park, Rotterdam, during the pre-conference session “Forest Bathing: Reconnecting with Nature.”

Hope is often misunderstood. People tend to think that it is simply passive wishful thinking: I hope something will happen but I’m not going to do anything about it. This is indeed the opposite of real hope, which requires action and engagement.
In Memory of Dr. Jane Goodall
Primatologist, anthropologist, and author of The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times.

ⓘ  Click the tabs below to explore the extended edition of the newsletter. On mobile, scroll horizontally to see all five tabs. On desktop, hover over the image cards for more information. This website has been designed to work with browser-based language translation tools, such as Google Translate.

With the UN Climate Conference (COP30) approaching, climate change is top of mind, but it’s only one part of a larger planetary crisis. Biodiversity loss, food system vulnerabilities, and inequities in health and access to resources demand urgent, collaborative solutions. 

Last month in Rotterdam, over 500 participants from 50+ countries gathered—both in person and virtually—for the Planetary Health Annual Meeting to redefine what it means to bring humanity into balance with our planet’s natural life support systems (discover the recordings and resources here). Highlights included: 

  • Celebrating Malaysia’s launch of the world’s first National Planetary Health Action Plan to realign development within planetary boundaries 
  • A session on Planetary Health, Peace, and Security exploring how environmental change and conflict intersect (watch the session here) 
  • Recognition of the first-ever global Planetary Health Youth Challenge winners for their Indigenous-based solution to mercury pollution in Indonesia 

As we look forward to PHAM 2027 in Tokyo, we welcome your reflections on PHAM 2025 to help us continue fostering a convening that embodies our shared values of hope, inclusivity, humility, and innovation.

In November, many in our global community will gather in Belém, Brazil to bring a Planetary Health perspective to global climate negotiations. If you are attending or organizing COP-related activities, please complete this survey. PHAM 2025 shows that climate action alone isn’t enough: we must tackle interconnected crises to secure a healthy future for all. 

Take Action

  • Want to shape the future of Planetary Health leadership? Apply to become a Campus Ambassador or Impact Fellow with the Planetary Health Alliance. 
  • Join us in person or virtually on November 6 in São Paulo, Brazil for a full-day event featuring a keynote, panels, and workshops on how Planetary Health education can drive climate action ahead of COP30.
  • Participate in a Planetary Health campaign! PHA is collating actions from the local to global level – learn about Planetary Health Day in Canada, join the Lovexair Foundation’s Global Health Map tracking respiratory conditions and air quality, and more.
  • Planetary Health researchers: Submit to a special issue of Challenges entitled “Planetary Health: Urgency and Agency for Systems Change,” featuring the proceedings of PHAM 2025. 
  • Celebrate #PlanetaryHealth10: To mark a decade of impact, we’ve created a piece that celebrates the achievements of our community. Join the movement and incorporate this milestone into your activities throughout 2025. 

Community News

Strengthening Science-Policy-Practice Linkages for Planetary Health in Africa 

To address the interconnected challenges of climate, environment, and health, PHA member organization Africa Research and Impact Network is centering African leadership, Indigenous knowledge, and youth engagement. 

Supporting Healthy Childhoods in the Mediterranean 

An early member of PHA, the Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health monitors how Earth system changes, such as pollution, climate change, and land use, impact the health of primary school children in the Eastern Mediterranean. 

The Intersection of Policy and Culture for Clean Water 

Tolulope Ayantayo, a lawyer and Sustainable Development Goals advocate based in Lagos, Nigeria, shares insights into his work at the intersection of law, policy, and community engagement. He emphasizes the importance of drawing on cultural practices and influencing policies to prevent waterborne diseases. 

New Alliance Members

FEMPOWER LATAM

FEMPOWER LATAM

Other

FEMPOWER LATAM

Year Joined: 2025 · Mexico

Fempower Latam advances Planetary Health and gender equality by educating and empowering rural women in regenerative entrepreneurship and technology. Our work fosters regenerative futures by restoring and conserving ecosystems, enhancing human and non-human wellbeing, and promoting inclusive shared prosperity. Through our Bootcamp La Liga Extraordinaria, Incubation Programme, and Leadership Ambassador Programme, participants use a blended learning approach—combining gamification, hands-on projects, and experiential education—to implement high-impact, triple-bottom-line entrepreneurial initiatives that benefit Planetary Health. We aim to collaborate with the Planetary Health Alliance by sharing curricula, best practices, and practical experiences; co-developing research, remote events, masterclasses, and workshops; exchanging evidence-based insights; and supporting our cohort of Fempower Leadership Ambassadors across the Global South.

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Community Action Against Plastic Waste (CAPws)

Community Action Against Plastic Waste (CAPws)

Non-Profit Organization

Community Action Against Plastic Waste (CAPws)

Year Joined: 2025 · Nigeria

Community Action Against Plastic Waste (CAPws) operationalizes the principles of Planetary Health by addressing the nexus of plastic pollution, environmental degradation, and human health through rigorous community-based research, citizen science, and targeted interventions across vulnerable populations in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean. CAPws is committed to advancing a toxic-free circular plastic economy that fosters ecosystem restoration, promotes social equity, and empowers marginalized groups, particularly youth and women. Through membership in the Planetary Health Alliance, CAPws aims to contribute grassroots evidence, collaborate on the development of context-specific tools, and engage in interdisciplinary research and advocacy to advance equitable and sustainable planetary health outcomes globally.

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Turku University of Applied Sciences

Turku University of Applied Sciences

University/Academic Institution

Turku University of Applied Sciences

Year Joined: 2025 · Finland

Turku University of Applied Sciences (Turku UAS) integrates Planetary Health principles into projects and curricula that foster sustainable wellbeing and transformative learning. Guided by our strategy for responsible, multidisciplinary education with regional and global impact, we build strong networks across sectors and disciplines. We collaborate actively with the global PH community to share knowledge, co-create solutions, and drive Planetary Health forward worldwide.

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Wildlife Conservation and Environment Protection around Virunga

Wildlife Conservation and Environment Protection around Virunga

Non-Profit Organization

Wildlife Conservation and Environment Protection around Virunga

Year Joined: 2025 · Congo, Democratic Republic of the

WCEPVI is dedicated to protecting and regenerating the ecosystems around Virunga National Park, recognizing the vital link between biodiversity, climate resilience, and human health. Through community-based conservation, environmental education, and sustainable livelihood programs, we actively integrate Planetary Health principles into our work. By joining the Planetary Health Alliance, we aim to share our experiences, data, and lessons learned with the global community while collaborating with practitioners, researchers, and organizations to co-develop solutions that benefit both people and nature. We look forward to contributing to knowledge exchange, capacity building, and advocacy efforts that advance Planetary Health locally and globally.

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Biozid Climate Institute

Biozid Climate Institute

Non-Profit Organization

Biozid Climate Institute

Year Joined: 2025 · Bangladesh

Bangladesh is among the top ten countries most affected by climate change. We are seeking collaboration in the areas of education, research, access to finance, and technology transfer related to climate and health. We are also open to exploring other forms of partnership.

Visit Website

In this newsletter, click on the tabs above to explore the full collection of:

  • Research & Policy: Groundbreaking literature exploring the human health effects of shifts in Earth’s natural systems caused by human activity
  • Opportunities: Jobs, funding, fellowships, and more
  • Events: Planetary Health conferences, webinars, and trainings
  • Read | Watch | Listen: Must-read articles, inspiring videos, and podcasts

Now is the moment for #PlanetaryHealth to shine. Thank you for being part of this growing global community.

Synthesizing a Decade of Evidence

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