Launch of UVM Planetary Health Initiative Underscores Vital Connection between Human Health and Natural Systems

Under a bluebird fall sky, the University of Vermont on Thursday afternoon formally launched a new campus-wide Planetary Health Initiative that promises to build on UVM's demonstrated strengths in research, education, and service in health and the environment. An audience of faculty, students, and staff gathered on the Andrew Harris Commons - to the beat of Burlington's Sambatucada drummers - to sample maple creemees and Vermont cheese and apples, explore table-top exhibits of UVM research centers, make their own personal planetary health pledge, and hear UVM Interim President Patricia A. Prelock and other speakers describe the urgency of the university's ambitious new undertaking.

"Planetary Health is the understanding that human health and human civilization depend on flourishing natural systems and the wise stewardship of those natural systems," said Prelock in her welcome remarks.

The UVM Planetary Health Initiative is based on the conviction that human well-being is inextricably linked with the health of the environment, and it explores these connections and inspires action for the benefit of both people and planet. This thematic research agenda recognizes collective work now going on across the UVM campus and capitalizes on planetary health educational principles found throughout curricula at the university. UVM is also a member of the Planetary Health Alliance, an organization of more than 450 institutions from around the globe.

Prelock asked the assembled crowd to, "reflect on the sense of community and sense of purpose this gathering represents," noting that, "this initiative aims to tackle some of the most complex and vexing problems of our time. In addition to understanding the science, technology, policy, social science, arts, humanities, innovation, and behavioral change components of Planetary Health, we are going to need hope to bolster and sustain us in this work."

Speakers Emphasize Hope and Connections

Prelock then introduced Molly Kawahata, an award-winning speaker, strategist, ice climber, and former climate advisor to the Obama White House who specializes in fostering approaches that unlock the transformative power of hope. Earlier in the week, Kawahata was the keynote speaker at the Whole Health for People and Planet Summit presented in Burlington by UVM's Osher Center for Integrative Health.

Kawahata's life story, depicted in the Patagonia Films 2022 documentary "The Scale of Hope," explores her pursuit of climbing steep ice faces in Alaska, her personal journey with mental health, and her work to transform societal narratives by infusing them with hope and empowerment.

Kawahata spoke of her work crafting climate action legislation in the White House, and her revelation that getting others to join in that work required a true investment in hope. "You can't expect to have the people on board until they feel something," Kawahata said. "People need to feel something in order to act… I discovered the science of hope, an area of positive psychology that's backed by over 2000 published research studies. It shows us that hope isn't just something that feels good. It's not just like a nice concept … It's effective. It's proven. It gets results. It gets people to realize goals."

Also speaking at the event were Taylor Ricketts, Gund Professor and director of UVM's Gund Institute for Environment, and graduate student Rigo Melgar. Ricketts's recent work has focused on the economic and health benefits provided to people by the world's natural areas. Melgar is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecological Economics in UVM's Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources who studies the financial implications of U.S. energy transition.

"The Planetary Health Initiative calls for a paradigm shift in academia to refocus our resources to study and provide solutions to the root causes within our socio-economic systems that are undermining the health of people and the rest of nature," said Melgar. "This initiative is a recognition that UVM has the potential to become a leader in rethinking and modernizing higher education."

"What I find exciting about the idea of planetary health overall," said Ricketts, "is that, to me, planetary health is an effort to understand how natural systems like forests and reefs and wetlands support our own personal health, and therefore how the degradation of those systems threatens our health."

A Plan, and Community Support

UVM's Planetary Health Initiative has been in development for more than two years and is the result of meetings and workshops that brought together faculty, students, and staff from across the campus to contribute to building this approach that, as Prelock told the crowd, "seemed to be a natural fit for UVM and for the state of Vermont… I believe we are exactly the right people in exactly the right place and in exactly the right time to do this work," she said.

Since that initial development period, the UVM community has produced a Planetary Health statement, adapted and adopted a set ofprinciples for planetary health education, and established aYear 1 Planetary Health Action Plan.

Prelock announced several new programs in support of the Planetary Health Initiative. Foremost was news of $100,000 in seed grant funding in each of the next five years to support interdisciplinary research proposals. The inaugural group of funded projects will be announced this coming February.

Later this month, UVM will announce the winners of the Postdoctoral Fellows Program, a cooperative venture of the Provost's Office and the Graduate College. "This program supports interdisciplinary research at the intersection of human and environmental health," said Prelock.

The university is also adding a planetary health related incentive to itsVermont Pitch Challenge- the program, now in its second year, that gives high school entrepreneurs the chance to pitch innovative businesses to make a difference in their communities, while competing for cash prizes and scholarships to UVM. Beginning next year, pitch competitors will also compete for a $10,000 award for the winning planetary health-related project.

Prelock then introduced a short thematic video on the initiative and a performance by a group of UVM music education students of "What a Wonderful World," the song made popular by the late Louis Armstrong.

"I hope you all share my belief that it is a privilege to contribute to such a bold and critical undertaking," said Prelock in closing, "and to have the opportunity to apply the best of ourselves for people and planet. We have some complicated, hard, joyful, and hopeful work ahead. Let's get to it!"

More information about Planetary Health can be found on theinitiative's website.

UVM community members can log their own personal planetary health pledge atmenti.comby entering this code: 8153 4239

 

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