Nature step to health 2022-2032: Interorganizational collaboration to prevent human disease, nature loss, and climate crisis

Abstract

Existential risks of climate change and nature loss are proceeding and their impacts on human health are increasingly acknowledged. However, practical actions that broadly consider planetary health, that is, “the health of human civilization and the state of the natural systems on which it depends“, are scarce. Therefore, Nature Step to Health ‒ Lahti Regional Health and Environment Programme 2022-2032 was initiated in 2021 by three main actors: Wellbeing services county of Päijät-Häme, City of Lahti, and Lahti University Campus. In this case report we describe how the programme was built: its initiation, coordination, objectives, main stakeholders, and lessons learned during the early process. Sharing this case may encourage and help others to similar initiatives and projects and action for planetary health.