Global Health Office

Faculty of Medicine

Planetary Health

2023 Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health

On Monday, October 30th, the Office of Community Partnerships and Global Health hosted the inaugural Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health. Dr. Andrea MacNeill, a leading expert in planetary health and sustainable healthcare systems, gave a talk entitled: “From Net Zero to Net Positive: The Practice of Planetary Healthcare”.

Planetary Health

Planetary Health is a solutions-oriented, transdisciplinary field and social movement focused on analyzing and addressing the impacts of human disruptions to Earth’s natural systems on human health and all life on Earth (Planetary Health Alliance).

Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine is working to prioritize planetary health as an area of education, research and practice.

Climate change is the greatest global health threat facing the world in the 21st century, but it is also the greatest opportunity to redefine the social and environmental determinants of health (Lancet Countdown).

In 2023, Dalhousie signed the Academic Health Institutions’ Declaration on Planetary Health, which declares the health of the planet a Code Red emergency and calls for immediate implementation of planetary health education and research, and the transition to climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems in order to build a healthy, sustainable, and just future for all.

Interested in learning more about planetary health and sustainable health systems?

Explore the information and resources below to learn more about planetary health. Contact Elise Sammons if you have questions or want to discuss how you can get involved in the planetary health effort at Dalhousie.

What We're Doing

  • Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine has established a Planetary Health Committee comprised of Faculty, Staff and Learners to provide recommendations on how we can implement the actions outlined in the declaration. The committee includes members from the Faculties of Health and Dentistry. We are committed to working across disciplines to contribute to a coordinated effort and to have a larger impact.
  • Based on the work done by the Planetary Health Curriculum working group as part of the UGME Curriculum Refresh, a Planetary Health lecture and case have been added to the undergraduate medical core curriculum.
  • Dalhousie University is prioritizing sustainability on its campuses and was recently recognized as a top performer in the 2023 Sustainable Campus Index.

What You Can Do

Resources