Addressing climate change
Over the past year, COVID-19 has illustrated the link between human and planetary health more than ever. By working alongside the Institute for the Future (IFTF) we found in the research we conducted that today’s youth and young adults are the leaders of the planetary health movement. As a purpose driven company we take a fully integrated approach to doing business responsibly and sustainably, aiming to positively impact 2 billion lives per year by 2025 - but for years, young people have been taking the lead in confronting climate, social and health issues, with 96% of global business students thinking that businesses should be leading efforts to address climate change.1 These young activists will be the planetary health mobilizers of the next decade, catalyzing millions to fight for the health of the planet because it is central to protecting human health.
Planetary Health Mobilizers: Interlinking human and environmental health
Planetary health mobilizers are incredibly diverse in terms of the people they include, the specific issues they focus on, and the tools they use. But one thing many of its members have in common is an ability to master new technology quickly, whether it’s the new tools of open science or emerging information and communication platforms. As a movement, this allows them to effectively advocate for the issues they care about and to craft solutions quickly. As technologies advance, so will their movement. They will use new communication and media creation tools to mobilize millions of people, dispersed worldwide, without depending on formal media channels or organizations. Their ability to connect local, ground-level influencers to high-level policy makers will only get more refined, which will help them bring both rigorous scientific evidence and persuasive storytelling to decision-makers. As savvy scientific investigators with the tools to monitor individuals, companies, and governments’ actions and expose them when they harm ecological health, it’s fair to assume that planetary health mobilizers will experiment with every new tool and approach in order to build the momentum needed to drive change on the global scale over the decade. Find out how the other future forces will help shape our future within the Together, Forward report.
1. Source: Rising Leaders on Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change: A Global Survey of Business Students, 2019
