Welcome, New Alliance Members!
In August 2024, we welcomed 8 new members to the Alliance. Please read more about them below.
Instituto Ideia Ambiental is dedicated to fostering Planetary Health at the local level by helping humanity recognize that our health is intrinsically dependent on our harmonious relationship with the natural environment. They acknowledge that while we often inhabit built environments, we must recognize the interconnectedness of our intrapersonal, interpersonal, and natural environments. Their mission is to promote the integration of these environments as a fundamental step towards overcoming the Anthropocene era, which is characterized by humanity’s disconnection from these vital spheres.
Planet.Health integrates Planetary Health into their work by honoring Indigenous knowledge systems and leveraging emerging technologies to create a translocal network of actions. They facilitate experimental spaces for innovation, host unconference events, and produce online dialogues to address the intersections of climate change and health. By joining the Planetary Health Alliance, they aim to enhance collaboration, expand their network, and access resources to amplify their impact. They look forward to partnering with PHA members to develop decentralized tools, share best practices, and drive systemic change for a healthier planet.
The Stanford Human and Planetary Health Initiative works towards a vision of a thriving ecosystem and healthy communities worldwide. Based at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment at the Doerr School of Sustainability and in close partnership with the School of Medicine’s Center for Innovation in Global Health, the Initiative conducts solution-oriented research, creates knowledge, trains leaders, and drives impact in human and planetary health. Four interdisciplinary areas of focus guide their research and core activities: Climate & Health, Pollution & Health, Disease Ecology in a Changing World, and Food Systems, Health & the Environment. Along with enabling research, advancing education, convening the interdisciplinary Stanford community, and supporting impact-oriented initiatives, the Human and Planetary Health Initiative supports undergraduate and graduate education at Stanford through foundational planetary health coursework. As theydevelop human and planetary health work at Stanford, they look forward to sustaining nature while supporting health by: identifying and exploring new collaborations, exchanging resources, and advancing global collective planetary health priorities with other institutions.
The Indigenous Determinants of Health Alliance (IDHA) is an Indigenous Peoples Organization devoted to advocating for and fostering culturally safe systemic change globally through the adoption of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues’ Indigenous Determinants of Health (IDH) Framework. IDHA’s work is intrinsically committed to Planetary Health, and the sustainable use of biological diversity across the multiple aspects comprised in the conceptualization of Indigenous health: an equilibrium of spirituality, traditional medicine, biodiversity, and the interconnectedness of all that exists. The IDHA conducts research, technical assistance, and advocacy activities to incorporate structural and systemic changes for Indigenous Peoples to be equitably served, their knowledge and practices, and rights to be respected, and to ensure sustainability for the planet’s health and wellness.
The University of Vermont Osher Center for Integrative Health values the reciprocal relationship between the health of people and the planet, and they recognize that the current U.S. healthcare system has tremendous impacts on planetary health. Together, they are working to identify ways forward that will lead to better health for both people and the planet. They see integrative whole person health as a pathway toward planetary health, and they work to revolutionize healthcare through education, research, clinical practices, and policy.
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine’s mission is to develop our students, residents, fellows, faculty, and healthcare environment to deliver the highest quality care for all, understanding that context, community, and behavior drive wellbeing. Environmental factors are one of the five foundational determinants of health that form the core of their educational framework. They have established an Environmental Health Working Group to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing curriculum, identify best practices for environmental health and climate change education across the spectrum of medical education, identify longitudinal content opportunities in all courses, support scholarship related to environmental determinants of health, explore collaboration within our healthcare system regarding sustainability initiatives, and provide support and guidance to the student special interest group on environmental health. They are firmly committed to Planetary Health and the mission of the Planetary Health Alliance.
EcoRestoration Solutions’ focus and mission is to “help youth fight climate anxiety.” They have an online platform (Mother Earth’s Pursuit) that uses AI to empower young people to A) discover global solutions that are addressing the climate crisis from government, community, and private sector organizations and B) inspire and empower young people to discover good news stories, job opportunities, and ways that they can personally engage in climate changing/game changing activities that will help them to be more positive and less anxious about their future on planet earth. They would like to collaborate with other PHA Members who share our passion.
OAPTAR (Organisation for Addiction Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation) is the only organization in Malaysia that does evidence-based prevention interventions for the healthy development of children and young people and for the wellbeing of families and communities. Their work is informed by developmental epidemiology, transactional and ecological factors that affect the healthy development of young people through out their developmental stages. The impact of climate change, environmental degradation, pollution, rapid development and loss of greenspaces and biodiversity affects mental health and general wellbeing. By joining the Planetary Health Alliance, they aim to mainstream planetary health and advocate for policies and legislation that embeds planetary health practices into the private and public sectors. They look forward to dialogue and collaborations with PHA members.
