WEAll Health Working Group’s second webinar on June 24th, 2025
It was a detailed and thought provoking discussion that highlighted the interconnectedness of health and planetary health, drawing parallels to systems thinking in healthcare. David Somekh co-chairs the WEAll Health Working Group on behalf of EHFF.
Big thanks to our incredible speakers:
Many powerful points were addressed by our wonderful speakers: Liz Willetts, Shama Karkal and Courtney Howard.
Some key takeaways from the session:
- Challenges faced by vulnerable and marginalized communities in accessing healthcare, highlighting issues such as high costs, complex health systems, and limited priority given to health due to economic constraints.
- The struggles of Savita, a domestic helper in India, who faces numerous health issues due to poor living conditions and lack of access to healthcare. The growing need to address broader determinants of health beyond healthcare services, including socioeconomic factors, physical environment, and health behaviors.
- The decline of ecosystems worldwide, highlighting a 2% annual loss in marine and terrestrial ecosystems and a 4% loss in freshwater ecosystems over the past five years.
- Other approaches that can create synergies: the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health, and the World Health Assembly’s Global Action Plan on Climate Change and Health.
- Progress in climate resilient healthcare, with over 80 health systems now committed to sustainability, and discussed initiatives like Power, an organization working to coordinate sustainable healthcare across Canada.
Additional links to check out
- Declaration on planetary health https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)02526-6/fulltext
- Willetts, Fleming, Morgera (2025). Biodiversity, health science, and the human right to a healthy environment, The Lancet Planetary Health. DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(25)00092-0
- Willetts, van de Pas, Woolaston, Bennett, Vora, Shah, Atkinson, Stewart-Ibarra (2024). Implementing the Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health, The Lancet. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02557-1
- Social tipping points paper https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(23)00022-0/fulltext
- Roadmap for Planetary Health and Sustainable Health Systems for Canadian Medical Professionals
- Healthy Planet, Healthy People TED talk by Dr Courtney Howard