Training the Next Generation of Planetary Health Leaders in Spain

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. 

At Spain’s University of Girona, the Chair of Health Promotion is helping share the future of Planetary Health – one classroom, symposium, and partnership at a time. In 2021, the Chair co-hosted the international webinar “Planetary Health as a Response to Anthropocene Challenges” with Dipsalut, the Public Health body of the Girona Provincial Council. The event gathered leading experts to explore how climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss are reshaping public health – and what it will take to respond. 

Building on this momentum, the Chair launched a Planetary Health course at the University of Girona and convened the Mediterranean Symposium on Health Promotion. These initiatives brought together students, professionals, and researchers to exchange ideas on climate justice, sustainable governance, and resilient health systems, catalyzing a new generation of leaders ready to bridge human and planetary well-being.  

Beyond the classroom, the Chair contributes to the World Health Organization’s Planetary Health Action Board Working Group and its People Planet Health initiative, shaping global health policy and interdisciplinary dialogue.  

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