PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON THE IMPACTS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR ON PLANETARY HEALTH HELD ON MARCH 23, 2022 AT THE WANGARI MAATHAI INSTITUTE FOR PEACE & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI.
A JOINT PLENARY
BY
THE INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE & ADAPTATION (ICCA); THE MAWAZO INSTITUTE.
On 23 March 2022, the Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation (ICCA), the University of Nairobi and The Mawazo Institute co-hosted in-person presentations and a plenary session. This event explored scientific approaches, critical research, and transformative practices that can help better understand planetary health and its implications for the African continent. This event was co-hosted as part of a week-long climate change campaign with the theme: ‘Planetary Health,’ which is a solutions- oriented, trans disciplinary field, and social movement focused on analyzing and addressing the impacts of human disruptions to earth's natural systems on human health and all life on earth. Planetary Health includes approaches to human health as well as climate change in its considerations.
The activities, co-designed by the two institutes, focused on;
1. Encouraging and building community networks among scientists/experts and with the broader Kenyan public.
2. Fostering thought-leadership and activating new thinking around approaches to Climate Change, by increasing and deepening awareness on Planetary Health as a field.
3. Perception shift on the themes and topics that can translate into changes in behavior at the individual, institutional, and systemic levels.
The presentations and a plenary session brought together representatives from research, academics, policy, and practice working around planetary health.
Opening Remarks
The panel discussion was brought to order by Yvonne Githiora, the coordinator of the ICCA Research Support Group (ICRSG).
She welcomed participants to the plenary discussion and urged them to engage constructively with a focus on achieving the day’s objectives. She introduced the various panelists and the moderator of the session.
The plenary session was thereafter moderated by Ms. Judith Akolo, a Journalist at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) and a Research Associate at ICCA.
Key Highlights from the Plenary Session
The panel discussion and questions from the audience cut across the following themes:
1. Climate Change Research and Funding
2. Lessons learnt from COVID-19 in relation to Planetary Health – Building-Back-Better from the Pandemic
3. Development and Blue Economy
4. Moving towards Sustainable Development and Planetary Health