Abstract
Planetary health is an emerging field of transdisciplinary knowledge that uses a systems approach to guide human behavior. It is both a very young field of science, and a very ancient way of being in relationship with global ecosystems. The unifying understanding behind Planetary health is that human behaviors are altering the Earth in ways that threaten human health and human civilization. We must develop a deeper understanding of the ways that human health is impacted by disruption of the planet’s natural systems in order to promote effective policies and encourage changes in behavior. The findings from planetary health research indicate both a sense of urgency and a sense of hope; we are discovering that planetary health solutions offer co-benefits to humans and the rest of the planet. This chapter presents an overview of the planetary health field and current best practices. The intent is to provide an origin story, principles to guide effective actions, and resources to support and empower a global movement to ensure a viable planet for future generations.
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Potter, T. (2021). Planetary Health: Systems Perspectives and Impact of Climate and Environmental Change on Human and Global Health. In: Haring, R., Kickbusch, I., Ganten, D., Moeti, M. (eds) Handbook of Global Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05325-3_131-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05325-3_131-1
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