Office of Community Engagement

Faculty of Medicine

Planetary health

Healthy Planet, Healthy People

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

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).

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.

Working together with CASCADES and the Healthy Populations Institute, we are facilitating elective learning opportunities for medical and other health professions students in the areas of planetary health and sustainable health systems through:
- Interprofessional Education Mini-Course: Healthcare in a Changing Climate: The Need for Planetary Health & Sustainable Health Systems
- CASCADES Summer Institute on Sustainable Healthcare

Dalhousie University is prioritizing sustainability on its campuses and was recently recognized as a top performer in the 2023 Sustainable Campus Index.

We are working with the Dalhousie University Office of Sustainability to use and promote their programs to reduce emissions and waste including:
- Dalhousie Sustainable Events Program
- Dalhousie Green Labs Program

We are working with and learning from other organizations and institutions including the Healthy Populations Institute at Dalhousie, CASCADES, AFMC Planetary Health Committee, the Planetary Health Alliance, and the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education.

What You Can Do

Take the Planetary Health Pledge

Join an Advocacy Group

Attend an Elective Course or Educational Session
- November 20, 27 & Dec 4, 2025 IPE Mini-Course

Attend Events and Conferences focused on Planetary Health and Sustainable Healthcare:
- Nov 6-8, 2025 - AERO Planetary Health Conference (PEI)

Past Planetary Health Events at Dalhousie

June 2025 Dalhousie Hub, CASCADES Summer Institute in Sustainable Health Systems
April 2, 2025 Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health, Dr. Sonja Wicklum, Planetary Health Director Cumming School of Medicine
March 18, 25 & April 1, 2025 Interprofessional Education Mini-Course "Healthcare in a changing climate: the need for planetary and sustainable health systems"
November 5, 19, 26, 2024 Interprofessional Education Mini-Course "Healthcare in a changing climate: the need for planetary and sustainable health systems"
October 2024 Nourishing People, Planet and Communities: A Panel Discussion on Sustainable and Healthy Dietary Patterns, October 8, 2024
June 2024 Dalhousie Hub, CASCADES Summer Institute in Sustainable Health Systems
March 2024 Fireside Chat with Dr. Fiona Miller, Lead for the Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Health Care at University of Toronto
March 2024 Dalhousie Crossroads Conference, Moving Forward: Sustainable Approaches for Health
January 2024 Interprofessional Education Mini-Course "Healthcare in a changing climate: the need for planetary and sustainable health systems"
January 2024 Dalhousie Mini-Med School Medicine and Planetary Health: What We Can Do, Dr. Nabha Shetty, Dalhousie University
October 2023 Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health, Dr. Andrea MacNeill, Director of the Planetary Health Lab, University of British Columbia
June 2023 Dalhousie Hub, CASCADES Summer Institute in Sustainable Health Systems
June 2022 Planetary Health Speaker Series, Dr. Samantha Green, University of Toronto Faculty Lead in Climate and Health
June 2022 10th Annual Thomas Fear & Alice Morgans Fear Memorial Conference, Planetary Health and the Climate Crisis: Our Planet, Our Health, Our Responsibility
June 2022 Dalhousie Hub, CASCADES Summer Institute in Sustainable Health Systems
April 2022 Planetary Health Speaker Series, Dr. Chantelle Rizan, Brighton and Sussex Medical School