In recent years, planetary health has evolved not just as an emerging field of scientific inquiry but also as a novel policy framework, fresh ethical paradigm, and renewed basis for collective action that integrates both the health of people and the planet. Over the past century, human activities have grown economies, improved health, and enhanced the quality of life – at the expense of the world’s natural resources. Today, global environmental change – not just in the form of climate change but also biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, and other ecosystem alterations – is threatening the health of future generations in return.

As a tropical archipelagic country with a rising economy yet with chronic poverty and persistent inequality, the Philippines is undeniably a planetary health hotspot, hit by natural disasters and slowly affected by the subtle manifestations of climate breakdown. However, the country, with its rich natural capital, untapped energy and creativity, and innate societal resilience, also has an immense potential to be a world leader in planetary health transformation.

In this seminar, Dr Guinto, Chief Planetary Doctor of PH Lab – a ‘glo-cal think-and-do tank’ for generating planetary health solutions in the developing world – and a recent Doctor of Public Health graduate of Harvard University, will share his perspectives about this new exciting field of planetary health as well as lessons and experiences from the Philippines as the country confronts climate change and other planetary health challenges.