Translating Planetary Health Science into Policy Action
Engaging policymakers at all levels–from municipal to multilateral
From local zoning regulations to multinational treaties, strong Planetary Health policies are needed to safeguard wellness and well-being on the planet for future generations. One of the core action pillars of the Planetary Health Roadmap and Action Plan focuses on building holistic governance to ensure alignment and coherence across policy instruments.
At PHA, we aim to build an active global constituency committed to a systems-thinking approach to reduce our ecological footprint and secure a thriving future for humanity and the rest of life on Earth. We hope to foster aligned messaging for members participating in multinational meetings in order to advance policies to stop the destruction of Earth systems. We also intend to build out a series of case studies demonstrating Planetary Health policies at all levels of government.
We recognize that longstanding systems of injustice have led to inequitable exposures to environmental degradation, unequal access to nature for its positive benefits, and inequitable distributions of the burden of impacts from global environmental changes. PHA is committed to strengthening efforts that address environmental determinants of health equity and to working on Planetary Health priorities as expressed by marginalized communities and groups. We believe that transformative policy arises when both science and diverse knowledge are mobilized.
A new worldview of governance, seen through the lens of ‘planetary politics,’ requires a paradigm shift in our global governance architecture.
Planetary Health Roadmap and Action Plan
Policy Briefs
Rights and Knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and Planetary Health
This PHA Policy Note aims to elevate the views expressed by Indigenous leaders in the 2023 UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and call attention to how Planetary Health work can align with UNPFII. It references the Indigenous Determinants of Health framework and provides a series of policy recommendations.
United Nations’ “User’s guide to the Right to a Healthy Environment”
The human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is now recognized in resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. This guide by UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment David R. Boyd covers ways to utilize this powerful lever for change, state obligations to fulfill the right, and how individuals (you!) can accelerate change.
