Planetary Health Action

About

The climate crisis is making headlines more than ever, with growing evidence of its impact on livelihoods, economies, and ecosystems. Understanding and acting upon the complex forces driving and impacted by climate change - and the most effective responses - requires a systems-thinking approach.

This course applies Planetary Health and One Health frameworks to explore the interconnected relationships between human health, animal health, ecosystems, and climate change. Participants of this course will gain a better understanding of feedback loops and unintended consequences that shape climate-related challenges. A key feature of this course is the use of causal loop diagrams (CLDs), a powerful tool in systems thinking to develop systems diagrams. These diagrams will help visualize how different parts of the social ecological system, including climate, interact, thus revealing critical leverage points for actionable interventions. Participants will identify key actions at the individual, community, and government levels, equipping them with practical strategies for climate resilience and policy advocacy

In this course we will cover:
- Foundation of systems thinking, One Health and Planetary Health;
- Causal loop diagrams;
- Analysis of systems maps;
- Identification of systems leverage points for action.

Course leader

Dr. Simon Rüegg (University of Zurich), Dr. Christine Sekaggya Wiltshire (Makerere University), and Dr. Marc Yambayamba (University of Zurich)

Target group

Practitioners, researchers, and graduate students

Course aim

By the end of the course participants will:
- Conceptualize planetary and one health challenges in social ecological systems;
- Experience participatory modelling with causal loop diagrams;
- Identify leverage points and interventions in social ecological systems;
- Reflect on personal and societal challenges when implementing complex social interventions

Fee info

Discounts are available for LMICs, PhD/Master Students, and members of partner institutions (USI, SUPSI, SWISS TPH, and SSPH+). To know more about the fees, what is included, and available discounts, please contact us at our email (info@ssph-lugano-summerschool.ch) or visit our website