Planetary Health Week, running from May 5th to 9th, 2025 aims to raise awareness of planetary health issues and research and encourage actionable sustainability efforts among staff and the wider community..

Planetary Health Week provides an opportunity to reflect on our environmental footprint and explore ways individuals and organisations can act to mitigate climate change and reduce contributions to ecological degradation. The week’s activities were designed to raise awareness and inspire staff to integrate sustainability into their everyday lives at home, at work, and in their communities.

Established in 2020, the Planetary Health Cross-Cutting Programme has positioned MRCG at the forefront of climate and health research in Africa. Originally rooted in the Nutrition theme, the programme has expanded to address the broader social and environmental challenges linked to climate change. Through interdisciplinary research and global partnerships, the programme seeks to deepen understanding, drive systemic change, and co-create practical, context-specific solutions to planetary health challenges in The Gambia and across Africa.

This year’s Planetary Health Week activities made these issues tangible for staff through a range of creative and educational events including a Vegan/Vegetarian Potluck, a film screening and a seminar by PhD students showcasing the impactful work being done under the One Health framework at MRCG.

The MRCG has implemented innovative solutions, including Bin-e devices that automate waste sorting to reduce landfill use, and the GREATWASTE Project, as part of MRCG’s broader commitment to join 125 UK institutions in halving carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving net-zero by 2050, which minimises plastic and green waste through recycling strategies, the modular bio-gas plant and community engagement activities.

Water security is also a growing concern in the context of climate change. A recent MRCG-led study published in BMC Public Health in 2024 revealed that water insecurity in rural Gambian communities leads to coping strategies that may compromise health, especially for children. The study emphasises the need for integrated, culturally sensitive approaches that address both environmental and social determinants of health.

“Planetary Health Week is an inclusive and participatory reminder that the health of people and the planet are inseparable. At MRCG, we are driving solutions through science, innovation, and community engagement. By integrating sustainability into every facet of our work, we are building resilience for future generations and setting a benchmark for research institutions across Africa,” says Professor Kris Murray, Co-Director, Centre on Climate Change & Planetary Health, LSHTM and Lead of the MRCG Planetary Health program.

Dr Ana Bonell, Assistant Professor based at MRCG at LSHTM and co-Chair of the MRCG Environmental Sustainability Action Committee (ESAC); “The week highlights how interconnected our health is with the environments we live in, working to ensure that sustainability is a reality for our staff and communities.

Planetary Health Week is a platform to accelerate urgency and agency for systemic change. By investing in renewable energy, advancing environment-health research, and empowering communities through education and infrastructure, MRCG at LSHTM is setting a standard for environmental responsibility and public health leadership in West Africa.