Planetary Health: the Response to the Challenges of the Anthropocene

The talk explores the deep connection between human health and natural systems in the context of the global environmental and climate crisis.

Planetary health is an emerging discipline that studies how human wellbeing depends directly on the integrity and resilience of the Earth's ecosystems. It has emerged in the context of the Anthropocene, the current geological epoch defined by the unprecedented impact of human activities on the planet, where phenomena such as climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution threaten human health and the stability of the natural systems alike.

Planetary health goes beyond scientific research; it analyses how changes in ecosystems impact on essential aspects of human wellbeing, such as access to clean water, food security, and disease regulation. Furthermore, it seeks to give impetus to innovative and holistic solution involving multiple disciplines -- from medicine and ecology to the economy and social sciences -- to protest and restore the natural systems, thus ensuring the health and wellbeing of current and future generations.

The main purpose of this talk is to define the concept of planetary health, set it in the global context and highlight its current importance. The presentation will therefore be organised in three main points: The first will review the relationship between the environment and human health. The emphasis will be on a healthy environment being a precondition for human health, and how its degradation threatens global wellbeing. The second will look at historical events and the trends that have led to the current environmental deterioration. This context will be crucial to undertaking the pressing need to adopt a planetary health perspective. The third point will present specific cases to illustrate how planetary health can guide real solutions. Furthermore, the challenges facing the rolling out of these solutions -- such as the lack of global cooperation, economic barriers and political interests -- will be discussed.

The talk will end with a call to actions, stressing the need to rethink our relationships with nature. This will imply shifting to a development model that respects planetary limits, fosters the sustainable use of resources and guarantees a fair and healthy future for all life forms on the planet. The importance of interdisciplinary cooperation and collective action to face the challenges of the Anthropocene and to build a sustainable and resilient future will be stressed.