MAX-PLANCK-INSTITUT FÜR WISSENSCHAFTSGESCHICHTE Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

Event

Feb 19, 2020
Fundamental Research and Shaping the Future: "Planetary Health—Handling Contradictions While Providing Solutions"

  • 17:00 to 20:00

6th event in the thematic discussion series

Basic Research for a Livable Future

of the Scientific Council of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science

Planetary Health—Handling Contradictions While Providing Solutions

The Basic Research for a Livable Future series is a forum in the Max Planck Society that discusses the ways in which researchers from widely differing disciplines can contribute to the solution of urgent challenges regarding the future development of humankind and its dynamically changing relationship with nature and technology. What knowledge do we have to generate for such solutions to emerge? Where are its limits? And where do new potentials lie?

It is precisely within this array of questions that the issue of planetary health can be located. The debate on how environmental stressors impact public health at a planetary scale is not only among the most critical issues of our times, but also one of the most complex developments to analyse and manage. With rising temperatures globally causing more severe wildfires, floods and droughts, more intense heatwaves and air pollution, vulnerable groups are most affected, including the elderly, children or outdoor workers, particularly in low-income countries.

The general assessment of planetary health was brought forward in the 2019 report of the Lancet Countdown Initiative on Health and Climate Change. It considers values from different metrics calling for planetary coordination. The report reveals that some interventions are encouraging, but there are also many contradictions to consider.

This symposium will discuss the underlying arguments and interventions to address issues of planetary health. The introductory presentation will outline the overall issue in broader terms, the second lecture will establish the connection between air pollution and public health and the third lecture will present geopolitical entanglements of planetary health.

The presentations will be held in English.

Program:

17:00–17:10 Jürgen Renn, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science
Welcome

17:10–17:50 Sabine Gabrysch, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
"The State of Patient Earth and Its Humans—a Planetary Health Perspective" 

17:50–18:30 Jos Lelieveld, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz
"Loss of Life Expectancy from Air Pollution Compared to Other Public Health Risks"

18:30–18:45 Coffee break

18:45–19:25 Nicole de Paula, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam
"How to Make Planetary Health a Reality in Times of Blurred Multilateralism"

19:25–20:00 Discussion

 

After the program ends, you are warmly invited to refreshments and further exchange.

Initiators: Karl-Ernst Kaissling and Alex Bradshaw
Chair: Jürgen Renn
Scientific organizers: Helge Wendt, Flavio D’Abramo, Christoph Rosol, Mona Friedrich

 

Organizer(s)
Address
Harnack House, Conference Venue of the Max Planck Society, Ihnestraße 16-20, 14195 Berlin, Deutschland
2020-02-19T17:00:00SAVE IN I-CAL 2020-02-19 17:00:00 2020-02-19 20:00:00 Fundamental Research and Shaping the Future: "Planetary Health—Handling Contradictions While Providing Solutions" 6th event in the thematic discussion series Basic Research for a Livable Future of the Scientific Council of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science Planetary Health—Handling Contradictions While Providing Solutions The Basic Research for a Livable Future series is a forum in the Max Planck Society that discusses the ways in which researchers from widely differing disciplines can contribute to the solution of urgent challenges regarding the future development of humankind and its dynamically changing relationship with nature and technology. What knowledge do we have to generate for such solutions to emerge? Where are its limits? And where do new potentials lie? It is precisely within this array of questions that the issue of planetary health can be located. The debate on how environmental stressors impact public health at a planetary scale is not only among the most critical issues of our times, but also one of the most complex developments to analyse and manage. With rising temperatures globally causing more severe wildfires, floods and droughts, more intense heatwaves and air pollution, vulnerable groups are most affected, including the elderly, children or outdoor workers, particularly in low-income countries. The general assessment of planetary health was brought forward in the 2019 report of the Lancet Countdown Initiative on Health and Climate Change. It considers values from different metrics calling for planetary coordination. The report reveals that some interventions are encouraging, but there are also many contradictions to consider. This symposium will discuss the underlying arguments and interventions to address issues of planetary health. The introductory presentation will outline the overall issue in broader terms, the second lecture will establish the connection between air pollution and public health and the third lecture will present geopolitical entanglements of planetary health. The presentations will be held in English. Program: 17:00–17:10 Jürgen Renn, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science Welcome 17:10–17:50 Sabine Gabrysch, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research "The State of Patient Earth and Its Humans—a Planetary Health Perspective"  17:50–18:30 Jos Lelieveld, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz "Loss of Life Expectancy from Air Pollution Compared to Other Public Health Risks" 18:30–18:45 Coffee break 18:45–19:25 Nicole de Paula, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam "How to Make Planetary Health a Reality in Times of Blurred Multilateralism" 19:25–20:00 Discussion   After the program ends, you are warmly invited to refreshments and further exchange. Initiators: Karl-Ernst Kaissling and Alex Bradshaw Chair: Jürgen Renn Scientific organizers: Helge Wendt, Flavio D’Abramo, Christoph Rosol, Mona Friedrich   Harnack House, Conference Venue of the Max Planck Society, Ihnestraße 16-20, 14195 Berlin, Deutschland Europe/Berlin public