Motivation
Climate change, alongside biodiversity loss and other planetary crises, is arguably “the biggest global health threat of the 21st century" (Lancet 2009) because it destroys our living conditions on the planet – through increased storms and floods, heat and drought, harvest failures and famines, infections, conflicts and migration. It hits the poorest particularly hard, thus enhancing existing inequality. Ultimately, it threatens the survival of our civilization.
Simultaneously, "tackling climate change could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century" (Lancet 2015), because what we need to do for climate stabilization is largely similar to what we should be doing for health. Namely, making cities more pedestrian- and bike-friendly, shutting down coal-fired power plants, refining agroecological practices for growing food, producing/eating less meat and more vegetables, consuming fewer products and having more time for friends and family. After all, many diseases are caused by air pollution, lack of exercise, unhealthy diets, and stress. A win-win situation!
Planetary Health builds on Public Health and Global Health and goes beyond. While taking social, economic and political determinants of health as well as global interdependence into account, Planetary Health explicitly considers the natural systems of the planet, on which human wellbeing and existence ultimately depend. The long-term goal is: healthy people on a healthy planet.
Our research group links climate research at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and human health research at Charité, guided by the transdisciplinary concept of Planetary Health. Our vision is one of better health and nutrition for all, within the limits of the planetary boundaries. Our research aims to identify equitable, win-win solutions toward improving both human and planetary health, in order to achieve responsible stewardship of the global commons.
Our objectives
With a particular focus on food systems, our research aims to generate evidence with which to inform the public, organizations, and policymakers. We seek to:
- Understand the impacts of climate, climate change, and the environment on nutrition and health.
- Evaluate the synergistic effects of adaptation and mitigation programs and policies on nutrition, health, and the environment.
- Project the population impact of anthropogenic climate change, environmental degradation, and adaptation measures on nutrition and health outcomes.
Current Projects
- Food and Agricultural Approaches to Reducing Malnutrition (FAARM)
- Food Hygiene to reduce Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (FHEED)
- Women’s empowerment in rural Sylhet, Bangladesh
- Causes of anemia in rural Sylhet, Bangladesh
- Drinking water quality and health impacts in rural Bangladesh (SWAPNO)
- Biochar-based fertilizers for improved food and nutrition security
- Maternal Exposures to Mycotoxins and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes (MEMAPO)
- Understanding causes and consequences of dietary change
- Flooding effects on nutrition and health
- Impact of school gardens on nutrition (GESUND)
The team
(in fall 2024 from left to right: Giulia Malevolti, Amanda Wendt, Lisa Pörtner, Sophie Gepp, Pauline Harich, Shafinaz Sobhan, Asya Dimitrova, Jillian Waid, Nicholas Kyei, Zhamal Chekirbaeva; missing: Anna Müller-Hauser, Oskar Masztalerz, Sabine Gabrysch)
