What is Planetary Health?
“Our definition of planetary health is the achievement of the highest attainable standard of health, well-being, 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.”
Report of The Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet Commission on planetary health, 2015
What We Do
Change
IDE is committed to being an agent for change. We work to make the Irish healthcare system more green.
Advocacy
IDE is committed to use our position of privilege to speak out on issues related to health and the environment. We do this through Direct Action and political engagement.
Science
IDE aims to be involved in the promotion of planetary health science in Ireland. We have published papers and spoke at academic conferences.
Education
IDE is committed to educating doctors and the public on the climate crisis and its health effects. We aim to be a conduit through which those interested can learn more about the issues facing us and how healthcare and climate interact.
Latest Updates
Check out our latest posts here.
Thousands of toxins (e.g. metals and PFAs) from food packaging found in humans.
One of the most common 'excuses' we get for why Ireland could never become like the Netherlands in terms of cycling infrastructure and culture is the weather.
Rain season kicked in hard this week.
Luckily we're not made of sugar and the kids don't mind cycling in the rain!
Doctors in the Hunter region are sounding the alarm over new coal mine extensions, set to lock in 1.5 billion tonnes of emissions. DEA member @JVDK_DEA warns, “Locally, we see dust pollution increasing airway disease, heart disease, stroke, and cancers”
In Climate Conversations we talk to a diverse range of inspirational people who share a deep commitment to their communities and the natural world that sustains them. Through engaging and broad reaching conversations with leading authors, scientists, activists and politicians we discover some of the solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises that threaten our future and learn how these solutions will create a healthier, happier and more equitable world.
The Baby Feeding Law Group Ireland was established to benefit society by advocating for policies which protect the right to good health of all infants, young children, mothers, parents, and families by addressing practices that commercialise infant and young child feeding, threaten breastfeeding and undermine good health.
Dr Aoife Long has a PhD in renewable gas policy from UCC and is a member of the Baby Feeding Law Group. Her own challenges with breastfeeding led to her looking into the sustainability of breastfeeding, which ultimately became part of her research.
Dr Sarah Brennan is a GP specialising in women’s health and breastfeeding. She is co-chair of the Baby Feeding Law Group, on the European Association of Breastfeeding Medicine board, and a University lecturer currently on sabbatical.
Sarah and Aoife tell us about the co-benefits for health for both the baby and mother, as well as the climate benefits.
You can see an example of Aoife’s novel research here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095965262103465X
You can find out more about the Baby Feeding Law Group Ireland at their website:
To mark Breastfeeding Awareness week, the Baby Feeding Law Group have a list of top tips:
www.echolive.ie/corkviews/arid-41486915.html
See a fantastic personal piece on the importance of breastfeeding from the point of view of a clinician and mother:
https://www.medicalindependent.ie/comment/prof-gabrielle-colleran/why-breastfeeding-support-matters/
Finally, DeSmog recently published an article detailing how the industry is consistently influencing policy:
https://www.desmog.com/2024/09/25/mapped-ireland-powerful-farming-lobby/
Join us!
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The whole of life is coming to terms with yourself and the natural world. Why are you here? How do you fit in? What’s it all about?