TUTKIMUS
Nature Step to Health 2022-2032
Supporting you in research, education and evidence-based action on planetary health – for people and the planet.
Planetary health is a holistic, systemic approach that studies interdependencies between the health of people and that of the planet. It highlights that people are part of nature and all of its species. By bringing together environmental, health and other sectors and disciplines, it aims to support achieving the highest attainable standard of health, wellbeing, and equity within safe environmental limits. It is a solution-oriented social movement to identify pathways, (cost)effective interventions and synergic actions.
What do we do?
Nature Step to Health is a 10-year initiative for planetary health in Lahti region. It combines regional health and environmental targets, and brings together various fields and stakeholders to co-create an actionable model, and to develop planetary health.
The programme is implemented through communication, support services and projects in the region. It is coordinated by the Wellbeing Services County of Päijät-Häme, Lahti City and Lahti University Campus that is responsible for supporting research, education and implementation of research findings. The close collaboration between the three coordinating organisation allows swift co-development, research and action across sectoral boundaries.
The program has five goals that are targeted via trans- or interdisciplinary approaches and cross-cutting tasks:
Besides University of Helsinki, LUT University and LAB University of Applied Sciences, other programme partners include Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) and WWF Finland.
Read more about the programme from the website of Nature Step to Health.
For researchers
Nature Step to Health brings together interested researchers, students, educators and practitioners from various fields (e.g., public health and medicine, earth and environmental sciences, social sciences, computer sciences) and sectors (e.g., healthcare, sports, governmental organisations, NGOs, businesses). The Coordination Unit of Lahti University Campus serves as the main contact point for researchers and RDI inquiries.
We offer:
- a monthly newsletter with funding opportunities, events and updates (contact marju.prass@helsinki.fi for subscribing)
- seminars, a biannual conference People and Planet (2022, 2024, 2026, …), and information on other national and international conferences and events
- collaborative opportunities, new contacts, and networking
- a co-creation platform through the programme collaborators, workshops and Lahti Living Lab
- project preparation support (e.g., seed funding, contacts)
- advice on funding possibilities for research, development and innovation projects (RDI)
- support for bringing research-based evidence into implementation
- communication support through various channels, e.g., social media, newspaper, events
What topics are of interest?
Planetary health is a broad field aiming for more systemic and transdisciplinary approaches. Thus, it relates to many research questions and topics, including, but not only:
- Climate change / biodiversity / environmental conditions and health
- Holistic approaches for equity and wellbeing within planetary boundaries, incl., e.g., governance solutions and policy
- Indicators and monitoring for tracking planetary health progress, incl., e.g., footprint calculations
- Societal transformation pathways for sustainability, wellbeing and health, e.g., behavioural psychology, systems mapping and leverage points, arts-based and bottom-up approaches
- Behavioral psychology, incl. organisational psychology
- Implementation science for meaningful evidence-based interventions (e.g., in city planning or in healthcare, such as nature prescriptions, nature-based therapy, traditional medicine and phytotherapeutic products)
- Synergies, co-benefits and unintended consequences from health and environmental actions, e.g., energy solutions and health, just, healthy and sustainable food systems, or planetary diets
- Developing health impact assessment tools
- Economic costs of action and inaction related to planetary health (e.g., public health consequences related to immune system disorders and environmental degradation or lack of exposure to natural environments)
- New opportunities and solutions for businesses, incl. e.g., improved footprint calculations or novel and modified products and services
- Nature-based solutions
- Data-driven approaches, e.g., better monitoring systems for health and environment, and more integrated monitoring systems alongside FAIR data and information systems, digital twins, inclusive software engineering
- One Health and related concepts, incl., e.g., zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, limiting pathogen spillover
- Epistemology, traditional and indigenous knowledge systems
- Environmental justice and wellbeing, health equity
- Effective co-design, transdisciplinary collaborations and quadruple and quintuple innovation helix framework for more holistic solutions
- Awareness-raising and competence-building, pedagogy for planetary health
For students
If you are interested in a traineeship position, a (MSc) thesis topic or finding a supervisor, please contact us directly with your interests and preliminary ideas, if you have. We will then offer some options with further contacts.
If you are interested in taking initiative for planetary health, you can contact us for tips. For example, check Planetary Health Report Card to assess your curriculum, or become a planetary health campus ambassador of Planetary Health Alliance. We are also open to support your own ideas!
If you are interested in existing study options, check the list below under ‘For educators’.
A few MSc theses and student project or traineeship examples from the region:
- MSc thesis by Ursula Siltanen (2024) Health forest visitors’ perceptions of biodiversity and its effects on their well-being (access through Helda)
- MSc thesis by Seriina Posio (2024) The health and wellbeing effects of nearby nature in urban planning: A case study from the city of Lahti (access through Helda)
- An article resulting from analysis by trainee Ursula Siltanen (2024) Promoting planetary health at regional level: A qualitative analysis of a multisectoral health and environment program (CABI One Health Cases)
For educators
More information to follow. However, you can find advice via Planetary Health Alliance website or by contacting us directly for advice and support.
Some current educational programs include:
- Introduction to Planetary Health. Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki (info)
- Introduction to Sustainability (MOOC). University of Helsinki, Climate University, Una Europa (info)
- Planetary Well-being (MOOC). JYU Online courses (info)
- Co-design Better Urban Living and Well-being Summer School in Lahti (info)
- Terveyttä ja iloa ruoasta – työkaluja kestävään ruokakasvatukseen. HY+ lisäkoulutus (info)
For decision-makers
We are arranging events, support with communications and can put you in contact with relevant researchers for your issue.
More information and communication materials to follow.
Current and past projects
You can find the most current version and full list of most relevant RDI projects from the program website. You can read more about current and past nature and health research in Lahti here.
A few highlights from relevant research projects conducted in or from the region, e.g.:
- BIWE – Biodiversity interventions for well-being
- BIODIFUL – Biodiversity respectful leadership
- CaringNature – Climate neutral initiatives for growing health and care unmet requirements
- GOAL – Good ageing in Lahti region (Ikihyvä)
- GoGreenNext – Future proofing urban health
- GoGreenRoutes – A natural way to foster urban health and wellbeing
- Nature Prescription – Introduction of nature-based methods in municipalities
- NATUREWELL – The health and well-being impacts of outdoor recreation – study on urban youth
- SISU – Sufficiency solutions for a resilient, green, and just Finland
- Transformative Cities – Supporting rapid transformations toward urban sustainability
NB! This list excluded all relevant development and innovation projects (see full project list here).
Contact information:
Feel free to contact us regarding any inquires related to research, research-based knowledge, education and studies. We are also very welcoming of your suggestions and collaborations!
Marju Prass
Specialist, Nature Step to Health
Coordination Unit of Lahti University Campus
marju.prass@helsinki.fi
+358 50 593 7788
Other:
Other relevant information sources and networks, and planetary health initiatives:
Resilient and Just Systems, RESET, University of Helsinki
Planetary Health Alliance Europe
Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative
One-Health-Region Vorpommern Initiative
LAHDEN YLIOPISTOKAMPUS
Niemen kampus
Niemenkatu 73 (B-osa), 15140 Lahti
Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti
info(at)lahdenyliopistokampus.fi
