Considering the Health Impacts of the Climate Crisis

Considering the Health Impacts of the Climate Crisis

What's the challenge?

Human health is directly linked to air pollution, food systems and extreme weather events.  As the world has dramatically altered our surroundings through use and abuse of natural resources, these changes are having profound negative impacts on our health and well-being – now and increasingly in the future.

  • Pollution is resulting in respiratory diseases and millions of deaths, mostly among young children.
  • Overfishing, warming, and acidification of oceans are disrupting ecosystems and fish supplies, resulting in food insecurity, disease, and poverty.
  • Extreme weather events driven by global environmental change are a significant cause of illness and death.Carbon dioxide emissions caused by human activity are altering the nutritional content of our food and undermining food security through desertification.

What are we doing about it?

From 2016 to 2018, Panorama partnered with The Rockefeller Foundation to create a strategy and resources to grow the nascent field of planetary health, which is defined as “the interdependence of human health, animal health, and the health of the environment.”

Drawing on our relationships with planetary health stakeholders and an in-depth analysis, we developed the Panorama Perspectives: Conversations on Planetary Health report series, which aimed to inspire new thinking, conversations, and engagement with planetary health and other integrated concepts. These reports were created as practical tools, presenting actionable opportunities to advance planetary health. Each report expanded on knowledge gathered from many sources, including analysis of publicly available reports and data; forums and events; group discussions; and individual conversations.

Who are our partners?

Our partners included funders, multilateral organizations, nongovernmental organizations, academics and research institutions, and grass-roots groups. To further integrate health and environment platforms for action and policy, we worked most closely with The Rockefeller Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, the Planetary Health Alliance, the Bridge Collaborative, and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

“I am so grateful to have come across [the Planetary Health series] and, of course, am thoroughly delighted to see biodiversity and health reflected in them! Your conversations in the Planetary Health series is terrific throughout. We greatly value your ongoing support in helping us spread the word about the vital interlinkages at this critical nexus.” – Dr. Cristina Romanelli, Lead on Biodiversity, Human Health & Sustainable Development Goals, Convention on Biological Diversity

What is our progress?

Our report series covered five relevant topics for the growth of planetary health. The reports were distributed between October 2017 and May 2018.

Your vision

Your vision.

Our Platform

Our platform.

Impact

Impact.