About us
Human activities have caused significant environmental disruption on Earth, threatening our health and well-being. The concept of planetary health emphasizes the interconnection between human civilization and the natural systems that support it. Major disruptions that already impact health around the world include climate change, pollution, biodiversity, land use, freshwater availability, and natural nutrient cycles.
Cochrane, a leading producer of health evidence syntheses, plays a key role in addressing these challenges. Its new Scientific Strategy identifies "Climate Change and Sustainability" as a priority. By adopting a holistic planetary health approach, the Planetary Health Thematic Group aims to help establish the necessary evidence for informed decision-making, focusing on how governments and health systems can adapt to protect health while reducing ecological harm.
Taking a holistic planetary health perspective ensures an understanding of how various ecological threats interact. It will also reduce the likelihood of unintended consequences from focusing solutions on only a narrow set of drivers. Synthesizing the available research, to identify what works, why, for whom and in what circumstances, will be vital for guiding policy and practice decisions. This is no small challenge. The body of relevant evidence in the field of planetary health – both published research and grey literature – is extensive and multidisciplinary, transcending the traditional boundaries of health research.
The Cochrane Planetary Health Thematic Group includes a network of over 200 members, contributing to a range of projects and initiatives around the world.
Team
Our plans
The Planetary Health Group is a focus for efforts to synthesise evidence for decision makers on strategies to mitigate or adapt to planetary health challenges, create innovative methods and raise standards for climate research, and improve the sustainability of health systems. Current areas of activity include:
- Methods and standards: We aim to develop, innovate and refine methodologies appropriate to complex planetary health topics, ensuring they are robust and meet Cochrane's high standard. Our team comprises researchers with a long-standing involvement in Cochrane methods groups, publication of independent methods research, and co-authorship of the Cochrane Handbook.
- Supporting review production: We work to identify priorities for synthesis and support the production of high priority and exemplar systematic reviews on topics pertinent to planetary health.
- Collaboration: Our mentoring programme and extensive network of members facilitate collaboration and cross-fertilisation and enable equity, diversity and inclusion in all areas of our work.
- Expertise: We are world-leading experts in public health, environmental health and climate change as well as evidence synthesis methodology, with connections to key research institutions around the world.
- Knowledge translation: We communicate evidence to the scientific community and decision makers and explore opportunities for knowledge mobilisation projects. We engage end users from our various audiences in the design and dissemination of our work.
Contact us
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We welcome new members and news about other current activities relevant to Planetary Health. To reach out or get involved with the Cochrane Planetary Health Thematic Group, please contact us at: cochrane.planetary@gmail.com.