The Planetary Health in Nursing guide was developed for nursing students and instructors to support future curriculum development in climate-resilient practices. This guide will support nursing students in the development of climate action initiatives as they transition into the role of a practicing nurse. The resources to assist you include toolkits, articles, interactive maps, videos, weblinks, programs, and assessments.
“Planetary health” is a recent term that arises from Indigenous knowledges and understandings of human interconnectedness to nature, other species and the Earth. It describes the idea that to support and sustain human health and well-being, we need to promote and maintain the health and well-being of the Earth, including its living and non-living systems (Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, 2023, p. 5).
Climate change threatens our essential needs for good health and delaying climate action increases the risk of undermining decades of progress in global health. As global temperatures rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, the health of vulnerable populations is disproportionately affected. We all know resources such as clean air, safe water, and adequate nutrition are essential for maintaining health, yet these are threatened by environmental degradation (WHO, 2024). Addressing these challenges requires collaborative efforts from nurses to promote sustainable healthcare systems that will protect environmental health and reduce the impacts of climate change from worsening (The Global Climate & Health Alliance, 2021).
There are many actions that nurses, and nursing students can take at the individual, unit, and institutional levels to become leaders in sustainability within healthcare settings (Howard et al., 2023). Involvement in related organizations and the transformation of education is essential to close the gaps in healthcare sustainability. Nurses can expand their work to promote wellbeing and a prosperous future for all (Alvarez-Nieto et al., 2021; Guzman et al., 2021).
If the global healthcare sector was a country, it would have the alarming rank as the 5th largest greenhouse gas emitter on Earth (Bosurgi, 2019; Thomas et al., 2021, p. 1). As one of the most trusted professions in the world, nurses hold a powerful position to use their voices as sustainability advocates to lead change in their personal and professional lives (Canadian Nurses Association [CNA], 2017). For example, nurses can help lead initiatives for waste reduction and transition healthcare institutions to 100% renewable energy by advocating for solar panel installation and zero emissions ambulances (Howard et al., 2023).
Take a close look. You may see a hospital tray... but we see a platform. Nourish believes that food is fundamental to patient, community and planetary health and wellbeing. Join the movement: www.nourishhealthcare.ca
Public health preparedness involves building climate resilience in communities and health systems to withstand and thrive during climaterelated stresses and disasters. This resilience is fostered through responsive economic, social, and political systems. Education should emphasize the nurse's role in promoting community cohesion and engaging in policies that strengthen local and global relationships (McDermott-Levy et al., 2019).
Elliot Page engages with women at the forefront of some of Nova Scotia’s most urgent environmental crises. This documentary explores the topic of environmental racism, shining a light on the Canadian government’s current and historical decisions to prioritize the profits of large corporations over the health of indigenous and black communities.
Hospitals are in a position of power to make policy changes due to their enormous purchasing power of over 10% of gross world product and nurses are the main users of many single-use materials. On the macro level nurses can be pioneers in advocating for policy change by promoting reusable materials as a standard, instead of single-use materials. They can also advocate for policy change that requires mitigation strategies from hospital manufacturers and suppliers, so that the supply chain can eventually become decarbonized (Howard et al., 2023; Vanderwee, 2024).
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