Climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss increasingly affect public health, yet policy decisions often still treat these issues separately. A new consortium led by WUR researcher Marleen Bekker aims to change that by bringing planetary health directly into policy practice.
The concept of 'planetary health' recognises that human wellbeing and all life on earth depends on the stability of Earth's natural systems. Environmental change is already affecting the planetary boundaries and social foundations for health worldwide. Air pollution contributes to millions of premature deaths each year, climate change intensifies heat stress and infectious disease risks, healthcare institutions affect and pollute the environment and biodiversity loss can disrupt food systems and ecosystems that sustain life.
Yet, despite growing scientific evidence, these links are not always reflected in policy decisions. Health policies, environmental regulations and economic planning are often developed in separate domains, even though their impacts are closely intertwined.
From research insight to policy practice
According to Associate Professor of Planetary Health Policy and Governance Marleen Bekker, this disconnect creates blind spots. Decisions in sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture or water management can have major health implications, these consequences are rarely assessed in an integrated way.
Bekker recently received a National Science Agenda (NWA) grant for the - Co-creation and Integration of Planetary Health Impact Assessment in policy practice (CINPHIA) consortium.
The consortium itself focuses on developing tools and collaboration models, but the broader ambition is clear: to ensure that the health impacts of environmental change are systematically considered in policymaking.
This approach builds on the idea of 'planetary health impact assessment', a research method that evaluates how policy choices affect both ecosystems and human health. By integrating these perspectives, policymakers can better anticipate long-term consequences and avoid unintended harm.
Developing a guide for policymakers
Planetary health as a concept has rapidly gained prominence in recent years. Researchers across many disciplines now study how environmental change influences issues such as nutrition, infectious diseases, mental health and social stability. At the same time, policymakers increasingly face complex decisions in which environmental and health outcomes are closely intertwined.
"Over the next five years, we will develop a practical guide for policymakers to assess how policy decisions affect both human health and the health of the planet," says Marleen Bekker.
"The aim is to support more integrated policies that protect public health, make healthcare more sustainable and take differences between populations and regions into account."
- Marleen Bekker
- Associate professor Planetary Health Policy and Governance
Towards healthier societies and ecosystems
The CINPHIA grant highlights the growing recognition that addressing global challenges requires transdisciplinary thinking and working.
"CINPHIA's mission is to enable a decisive joint approach to protecting our health and our environment, and reducing disproportional impacts across groups and regions. By bringing together researchers, policymakers and professionals from different sectors with citizens, we want to ensure that important decisions are always made with what is good for both people and the planet in mind" says Marleen Bekker.
In that sense, the importance of the topic extends far beyond a single project. It points to a broader shift in how societies understand and reposition health in a rapidly changing world.
Collaboration across sectors
The CINPHIA consortium brings together a broad network of partners from academia, government and civil society. Collaboration partners range from ministries and regional governments, professional stakeholders and citizen associations to international organisations such as the Planetary Health Alliance and the Doughnut Economics Action Lab.
Such cross-sector collaboration reflects the nature of planetary health challenges themselves. Environmental and health issues rarely fall neatly within a single policy domain.
Health for all Life
In a healthy world, it is not only people who thrive. Our health is connected to the health of all living things.
