Welcome to the Planetary Health website of the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine!

Here we provide information on what Planetary Health is, what it looks like, and how we at the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine are joining the fight against climate change. Scroll down to learn about the Planetary Health resources we offer learners, faculty, and staff.

Don’t forget the Faculty of Medicine also has a Planetary Health Community of Practice— find out more by emailing [email protected], or through contacting our Director of Planetary Health, Dr. Husein Moloo at [email protected].

Be sure to bookmark this page to get the latest planetary health news, upcoming activities, and all new ways to get involved!

The Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet Commission on Planetary Health defines Planetary Health as: “the achievement of the highest attainable standard of health, wellbeing, and equity worldwide through judicious attention to the human systems—political, economic, and social―that shape the future of humanity and the Earth’s natural systems that define the safe environmental limits within which humanity can flourish. Put simply, planetary health is the health of human civilisation and the state of the natural systems on which it depends”. Source: Planetary Health: a new science for exceptional action, The Lancet (327 KB)

Climate change and health

The 2021 report of the Lancet Countdown further describes the link between climate change and health: “The concurrent and interconnecting risks posed by extreme weather events, infectious disease transmission, and food, water, and financial insecurity are overburdening the most vulnerable populations. Through multiple simultaneous and interacting health risks, climate change is threatening to reverse years of progress in public health and sustainable development (...) With a world facing an unavoidable temperature rise, even with the most ambitious climate change mitigation, accelerated adaptation is essential to reduce the vulnerabilities of populations to climate change and protect the health of people around the world.”

Message from our leaders

“Talk regarding planetary health and climate change is not always backed up by action but by creating the role of Planetary Health Director, the Faculty of Medicine together with the University of Ottawa have solidified their intent to create change to provide sustainable impact and I hope this will help unite the Faculty of Medicine in the fight against climate change.”

- Dr. Husein Moloo, Interim Director, Planetary Health

Husein Molo

“The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa is proud to lead the way by appointing Dr. Moloo as Planetary Health Director – a first for any Faculty of Medicine in Canada. By taking this necessary step, we are committing to address the challenge of climate change and supporting concrete actions aimed at leading innovation for a healthier and greener world. We hope you will join us in our effort.  

- Bernard Jasmin, PhD, Dean, uOttawa Faculty of Medicine

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Contact us

Ongoing projects – Get involved today!

Are you involved in a Planetary Health project at uOttawa which you would like to promote on this website? If so, contact us today! 

Questions? Want to get involved?

Contact us at [email protected] with your questions or ideas.