Climate Change and Health (KLUG) – Planetary Health in Teaching

Under the title ‘KLUG, Climate Change and Health – The Role We Play: Planetary Health in Teaching’, lecturers in occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy met at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences for a workshop. The starting point was the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These comprise 17 goals for sustainable development and make it clear that environmental, social and economic factors are closely intertwined. The workshop explored how these interconnections can be embedded in the health professions and how planetary health can be integrated into the curriculum as a cross-cutting theme.

Planetary Health describes the state of health of human civilisation and the environment on which it depends. The health professions work with the biopsychosocial model, and it is precisely here that we see just how much external conditions influence health and physical well-being.

Green spaces encourage physical activity, reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. Conversely, heatwaves, air pollution and water scarcity increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems and mental health issues. The scale of these links is alarming: according to estimates, around a quarter of all deaths worldwide are linked to environmental factors (Prüss-Ustün & Corvalan, 2006).

The healthcare sector itself also contributes to the climate crisis, for example through energy-intensive treatments, the use of medicines or the high consumption of single-use products. At the same time, however, it also presents significant opportunities to promote sustainable solutions.

During the workshop, visions emerged of a future worth living in, characterised by renaturation, tranquillity, the sounds of nature and peace. It became clear that measures to protect the climate also have a positive impact on health. The aim was to highlight these connections in teaching and to develop educational concepts that enable students to understand and communicate the influence of climate and the environment on health.

Co-benefits refer to the positive effects that arise when climate action and health promotion go hand in hand. They are particularly evident in measures that combine climate protection with health promotion. An everyday example:

People who walk or cycle strengthen their heart and circulation, stay active and demonstrably reduce their risk of conditions such as stroke or heart attack. When large numbers of people change their travel habits, the impact is felt on a massive scale: fewer illnesses mean fewer hospital stays and operations, lower energy consumption in the healthcare sector, less medication and fewer single-use materials. Ultimately, this also results in lower emissions and thus a noticeable reduction in the burden on the environment.

Other examples include a plant-based diet, which not only improves blood lipid levels but also conserves resources, or more green spaces, which enhance mental wellbeing whilst promoting biodiversity.

In Austria, there are over 30 healthcare professions with thousands of specialists – representing enormous potential for impact. Higher education institutions therefore bear a particular responsibility. Planetary health must not be confined to individual courses, but must be embedded across all disciplines.

Students should learn to recognise the impact of environmental and climate factors on health and to advise patients with a view to sustainability, as the next generation of occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists will increasingly be confronted with climate-related health conditions and will thus play a key role in both health and climate.

Climate protection is health protection. The SDGs provide a clear framework for this: they make it clear that sustainable development is not possible without health, and that health is not possible without a healthy environment. This makes planetary health a unifying mission for practice, science and education.

Acting KLUG means: understanding climate change, protecting the environment and safeguarding health!

Prüss-Ustün, A., & Corvalan, C. (2006). Preventing disease through healthy environments: Towards an estimate of the environmental burden of disease. World Health Organisation.

Photo copyright: Sustainable Development – Agenda 2030 / SDGs – Austrian Federal Chancellery

Guest article: Marlene Szupper, Head of the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Physiotherapy