International Experts Consensus on Planetary Health

Title: International Experts Consensus on Planetary Health
Edition: Original
Classification: Experts consensus
Field: Comprehensive guideline
Countries and regions: China
Guidelines users: The public, health service providers (including disease prevention and control personnel, medical and health workers, community workers, etc.), health and ecological environment policymakers, and planetary health researchers.
Evidence classification method: Grade
Development unit: Research Center for Eco-Environmental Science Chinese Academy of Science, Peking University Health Science Center
Registration time: 2024-05-14
Registration number: PREPARE-2024CN658
Purpose of the guideline: Human health is interdependent and closely related to the health of multiple systems, including Earth's ecosystems. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, the global scientific community has increasingly realized the need for a comprehensive approach to view "health" systemically, addressing both environmental and human health issues—this is the "planetary health" approach. In 2017, The Lancet pioneered the "Lancet Planetary Health" journal, focusing on all aspects of human health, social development, and their interactions with the environment to promote sustainable human development. This has, to some extent, advanced research related to planetary health. However, a unified definition of planetary health, identification of key challenges, and clear monitoring frameworks are currently lacking, necessitating the formation of an international consensus on planetary health. Against this backdrop, the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Science Chinese Academy of Science, together with the Peking University Health Science Center and international multidisciplinary experts from public health, clinical medicine, ecology, environmental studies, and management, have jointly developed this guideline. It includes definitions of planetary health, core principles, key elements, assessment methods and indicators, monitoring frameworks and tools, and recommendations. This is aimed at advancing the in-depth research and practical application of planetary health, promoting both human health and the sustainable development of the planet.