A Press Release by Planetary Health Alliance
The Planetary Health Alliance (PHA) first issued a call for planetary health case studies to strengthen and expand the field of planetary health in November 2017. After receiving submissions and proposals from organizations and institutions around the world, ten diverse cases were chosen to create a cohesive anthology of examples ranging in thematic area, approach, ecosystem characteristics, and geographic region. Beginning in July 2018, freelance journalist and photographer Hilary Duff traveled around the world, interviewing practitioners, community members, government officials, business leaders, and other stakeholders on the front lines of human-caused environmental change and its health impacts. Combining their experiences and knowledge with existing scientific research, the resulting planetary health case studies tell the stories of planetary health in action.
Three years later, the PHA is thrilled to announce the launch of Planetary Health Case Studies: An Anthology of Solutions, a free collection of case studies that shares the stories of planetary health in practice worldwide and provides a valuable teaching resource for educators of all kinds.
Understanding the implications and applications of planetary health has never been more important than in the age of COVID-19. These case studies invite students to reflect on the realities of people around the world, the complex connections between people and planet, and how the anthropogenic acts of one generation can reverberate through to the next. Each story highlights a regional example of how groups worldwide have used planetary health approaches to address these challenges, including millions of Europeans using a phone app to reduce food waste, women’s groups working in partnership with the Sri Lankan Navy to replant mangroves, and more.
Together with Planetary Health: Protecting Nature to Protect Ourselves, a book co-edited by Samuel Myers and Howard Frumkin that will be released in mid-August 2020 (preorder the book here with discount code PLANET), these case studies contribute to the PHA’s goal of supporting the growing, transdisciplinary field of planetary health, as well as educating the public about the existence and importance of local-to-global planetary health solutions for a healthier future. Each case study includes complementary learning objectives and teaching guides written by Dr. Carlos Faerron Guzmán, and direct links to the Planetary Health textbook to support classroom education and planetary health curricula integration.
Through powerful firsthand accounts, illustrations, and images, Planetary Health Case Studies: An Anthology of Solutions provides the foundation for communicating complex, interdisciplinary health science into approachable stories and solutions that we hope will inspire citizens, educators, funders, government agencies, NGOs, policymakers, researchers, and students alike.
Case studies were written and photographed by Hilary Duff with editing and support from Amalia Almada, Christopher Golden, and Samuel Myers. Teaching guides were written by Carlos A. Faerron Guzmán. The creation of this anthology would not have been possible without the generosity of the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Green Park Foundation, and the administrative support of Brunel University London.