Keynote Speech
Planetary Health: Protecting Humanity on a Rapidly Changing Planet
In this talk, I will offer an introduction to the field of Planetary Health. I will start by framing the unique moment we are in where human development indicators have been steadily improving while the natural life support systems on the planet have been steadily eroding. I will argue that these trends cannot remain disconnected much longer and that anthropogenic destabilization of the Earth system is now threatening to reverse these improvements. I will outline the human health impacts of rapidly changing natural systems and argue that, in order to meet this moment, we will need rapid transformational changes in how we live. I will then focus on cities and the opportunities for smart urban design to reduce our ecological footprint while optimizing our physical and mental wellbeing, and I will suggest that this emphasis on smart, healthy cities is a cornerstone of Planetary Health and safeguarding a livable future for humanity and the rest of life on Earth.
Planetary Health
Protecting Nature to Project Ourselves
edited by.
Samuel Myers and Howard Frumkin