The environment, health and sustainability

Every year 12.5 million people die from living or working in an unhealthy environment as a result of air, water and soil pollution, chemical exposure, ultraviolet radiation and natural disasters.

This subject engages students in dialogue and debate with peers, researchers and practitioners across sectors to examine the relationship between health and the environment in which we live.

An ecological approach is taken to investigate the evidence and pathways that impact upon health and wellbeing and how humans, through their intervention in the environment, can play a vital role in exacerbating or reducing health risks. Global challenges related to the changing climate, ocean acidification, human population, rising costs of water, energy, sanitation and waste management are examined in relation to health and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Students also consider how health and other sectors can work together to prevent the disease burden and provide the leadership required to find sustainable solutions to strengthen human resilience and adaptive capacity. Innovative systems change are explored and the concept of planetary health. This subject was jointly developed by the Faculty of Health and Institute of Sustainable Futures and is a 3rd year subject within the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree.

Contact: Jason Prior