Public Health, Occupational Health and Epidemiology Conference

Planetary health is a relatively recent area of study that revolves around the relationship between human health and the Earth’s systems. With climate change, loss of biological diversity, pollution, and depletion of natural resources arising at a fast pace, there is a pressing need to appreciate how and why these changes affect human health. Determinants of planetary health involve supporting positive change through implementing sustainable practices for both sustainable ecosystems and population health for everyone in the world.

Temperature and air quality are a direct threat to human health as they continue to rise, resulting in respiratory problems, heat stress, and disease spread. Global warming affects vectors and brought about a change in their geographical range which has seen vector-borne diseases such as malaria and Lyme diseases advance. In planetary health, disease prevention, monitoring, and climate risk management are key approaches to public health interventions for susceptive communities.

Loss of Biodiversity also has implications for food security and nutrition because people’s access to food that is rich in nutrients has also been challenged by the reduction in crop genetic base. Planetary health interventions for agriculture also include the promotion of sustainable farming systems, and the prevention of deforestation all in an effort to develop food systems that can withstand any change in environmental conditions and support population health.

The availability and quality of water resources on Earth add stress to the health of the planet as it affects hydration, sanitation, and hygiene. Such programs help attempt to provide safe water supplies and promote hygiene where contamination of water sources due to environmental pollution threatens the water supply.

Planetary health supports the use of political initiatives with an outcome of reduction of carbon emission, conservation of bio-diversity, and the promotion of efficient urban space usage. This is the reason why everyone in a country and international level working in government health organizations and other stakeholder agencies must focus and work on improving the health of the aquatic ecosystem without which the health of every living being will deteriorate including human beings.

As an umbrella concept that integrates ecological and human well-being objectives, planetary health aims to build a world where it will be safe to live after eliminating numerous harms the world is causing to the environment.