About the Framework Design
At the core of the framework are the five Planetary Health Education domains represented in an intertwined figure, similar to the threads of a rope (Figures below. Although the model separates each domain, the reality of Planetary Health demands us to understand the interdependent and interconnected nature of each domain. The division of the domains is artificial and remains only for didactic purposes. While the domains can be teased out one by one (Figure 4), they only function appropriately when interwoven together. The analogy also emphasizes that the total strength of the framework, similar to a rope and its threads, is larger than the sum of its parts. The outer rings of the framework are the different conditions influencing the way in which the five domains are understood and taught; that is, how key Planetary Health themes, topics, and concepts will vary with time and context.
Fostering empathy for our planet through the recognition of the personal, cognitive, social, and emotional aspects of the education process is the central element of the Planetary Health Framework. In order for education to be truly transformative, it must be centered on the affective, experiential, and caring aspects of the learning process. As a commitment to this shift in the role of education from the informative to the transformative, we have placed the Interconnection within Nature as the central element of the five domains.