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17 - Planetary Health

from Part 2 - Contexts for Public Health Practice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2023

By
James Smith
Edited by
Kirsteen Watson ,
Jan Yates  and
Stephen Gillam
Kirsteen Watson
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
Jan Yates
Affiliation:
NHS England and NHS Improvement
Stephen Gillam
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
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Summary

The gross injustice of environmental change, with those who have polluted the least suffering the biggest consequences, is becoming more apparent. Society is not responding at the scale and pace required to avoid catastrophic loss of life, but from courtrooms to the streets changes are emerging. In this context, public health is now practised. Public health skills, knowledge and attitudes are essential to creating a more sustainable and fairer world.

This chapter defines key terms, describes some of the most important environmental transitions, challenges and opportunities, and considers what our public health response to these can be. It seeks to equip the reader with some basic knowledge and all-important motivation for becoming a more effective agent for change at a time when planetary health must become everyone’s business.

Keywords

Planetary healthglobal healthclimate changesustainabilitypollutiondisruptionjusticeenvironmentalbiodiversityadvocacycarbon
Type
Chapter
Information
Essential Public Health
Theory and Practice
 , pp. 323 - 338
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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