Taking the Planetary Health Pledge is a way to advocate for the health of our communities and the planet.
The World Health Organization’s World Health Day is April 7, and this year’s theme is Our Planet, Our Health.
Planetary health addresses the ways in which environmental factors affect people’s health and well-being. Air pollution, extreme weather events and other detrimental effects of climate change can all translate into increased harm to the health of the global communities.
TWU’s Dr. Barbara Astle, Director of the Master in Science in Nursing (MSN) program, specializes in global and planetary health. Dr. Astle has been honoured on the Canadian Women in Global Health List, which recognizes the achievements of established leaders in global health.
To raise awareness for planetary health, Dr. Astle, Dr. Sheryl Reimer-Kirkham, Dean of the School of Nursing, and members of TWU’s Nursing faculty and students took the Planetary Health Pledge in honour of World Health Day, as a public declaration and commitment to work towards the betterment of the world as nursing professionals.
Dr. Astle shares that taking the pledge together as the School of Nursing is an opportunity to advocate “not only for our patients’ health, but also for our communities, and the planet.”
Dr. Astle has worked alongside the Canadian Nurses for the Environment (CANE), Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), Doctors for Planetary Health – West Coast and other allies to highlight the urgency of planetary health locally and federally.
This above pledge, proposed by Doctors for Planetary Health – West Coast, is a shortened and adapted version of one proposed in the November 2020 Lancet article, "A pledge for planetary health to unite health professionals in the Anthropocene." Special thanks to Eric Fehr and Matthew Highfield for their assistance on this project.
Learn more about World Health Day 2022 at Our Planet, Our Health.
About TWU’s School of Nursing
The School of Nursing, within the ethos of a Christian university with liberal arts, sciences, and professions, engages students in the integration of faith, spirituality, and nursing. TWU Nursing is recognized as a leader in faith-integrated education and is accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing. In addition to programs at the undergraduate (BSN) and graduate (MSN) levels, TWU’s School of Nursing is offering a ground-breaking PhD in Nursing program designed for nurses who are in or who want to be in academic positions, and those who work in or desire to work in health-care organizations. Learn more at TWU's PhD in Nursing.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the wohttps://www.craigaevans.com/rld. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.