Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) held the Fourth FY2023 advisory board meeting for the Planetary Health Project on January 29, 2024.

Aiming to advance discussions on planetary health and to contribute to better health for the Earth and its people, HGPI formed an advisory board and launched its Planetary Health Project in FY2022. Together with our newest advisory board members who joined in FY2023, we plan to advance various initiatives centered on advisory board discussions this fiscal year.

The Planetary Health Alliance (PHA) describes planetary health as “a solutions-oriented, transdisciplinary field and social movement focused on analyzing and addressing the impacts of human disruptions to Earth’s natural systems on human health and all life on Earth.” Recognizing that climate change impacts and environmental footprints vary from country to country, and discussions that examine these issues are being held in the field of planetary health and efforts to implement various mitigation and adaptation measures to address them are currently underway. Challenges facing Japan include frequent natural disasters and a demographic transition resulting from birthrate decline and population aging. Deepening discussions on these topics and implementing future solutions will require multi-stakeholder efforts to identify unique challenges facing Japan and to build understanding toward them.

At this meeting, we reported on the following topics conducted by the secretariat between the 3rd and 4th meetings, and exchanged opinions on the initiatives for the next fiscal year.

1. [Research Report] Survey of Japanese Physicians Regarding Climate Change and Health (December 3, 2023)
2. [Policy Recommendations] Suggestions for Building a Resilient and Greener Health Care System Considering Sustainability and Environmental Concerns in the Revision of Medical, Nursing Care, and Disability Welfare Service Fees (December 6, 2023)
3. [Endorsement and Support] “A Shared Narrative for People and Organizations Urging Joint Action on Climate and Health” (December 12, 2023)
4. [In the Media] Contribution to ‘Message from Asia’s Health Community for COP28’ (Health Care Without Harm Asia, December 3, 2023)
5. [Webinar] HGPI Cooperation with Lancet Countdown 2023 Japan Presentation “Climate Change as a Children’s Health Issue: The Latest Lancet Report Sounds the Alarm for Health Commitments” (December 14, 2023)
6. [Webinar] Towards a Healthier Planet: Integrated Strategies for Climate Change Mitigation/Adaptation and Public Health in National Health Systems (January 19, 2024)

■ The Fourth Advisory Board Meeting

17:00-17:15 Report and discussion on this year’s activities

Shu Suzuki (Senior Associate, Health and Global Policy Institute)

17:45-17:55 Discussion on activities for the next year

17:55-18:30 Plenary Discussion

18:55-19:00 Future schedule, etc.

(The Fourth Planetary Health Project advisory board meeting in FY2023)

Advisory board members (titles omitted; in Japanese syllabary order)

Satoru Arima (DAIICHI SANKYO HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.)
Saori Kashima (Director, Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences Laboratory, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University)
Masahiro Kaminota (Director-General, Environmental Health Department, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of the Environment)
Taiko Kudo (Chief Engineer, Environment and Energy Division, Japan Weather Association)
Naoki Kondo (Professor and Chair, Department of Social Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine and School of Public Health, Kyoto University)
So Sugawara (Representative Director, Green innovation)
Yasuhiko Suzuki (Director, International Joint Research Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University; Distinguished Professor, Hokkaido University)
Yukari Nakano (Executive Officer, Japanese Nursing Association)
Keiko Nakamura (Professor, Department of Global Health Entrepreneurship, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences (Medicine), Tokyo Medical and Dental University)
Keisuke Nansai (Head, Material Cycles Division of National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES))
Yosuke Nishiba (Public Affairs and Sustainability department, Market Access & External Affairs Division, Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd. )
Masahiro Hashizume (Professor, Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
Makoto Haraguchi (Fellow, MS&AD InterRisk Research & Consulting, Inc. / TNFD dedicated SVP, MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc.)
Eiji Hinoshita (Assistant Minister for Global Health and Welfare, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
Kenji Fuma (Specially Appointed Professor, Co-Creative Organization for Green Society, Shinshu University / CEO, Neural, Inc.)
Hidekazu Hosokawa (Executive Director, Japan Medical Association)
Yusuke Matsuo (Director, Business Task Force, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies)
Yutaka Mitsutake (Director, Japan Sustainability, AstraZeneca K.K.)
Ryohei Yamagata (Sustainability Manager, Medical Policy and External Affairs Division, Novo Nordisk Pharma K.K.)
Hiroya Yamano (Director, Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies)
Naoko Yamamoto (Professor, International University of Health and Welfare / Director, Global Medical Cooperation Center)
Chiho Watanabe (Dean, Interfaculty Initiative in Planetary Health; Professor, School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University)
Japan Association for Global Health, Students Section (jagh-s)
Asian Medical Students’ Association Japan (AMSA Japan)