Two weeks ago, I read with much delight the suggestions that my friend Kristof proposed for the future of planetary health. Overall, there is nothing to oppose with his suggestions and observations. In fact, these are the kinds of conversations that are very much needed to push the frontiers of a young idea. I would even say that planetary health, launched in 2015 by The Lancet-Rockefeller Commission, is still undergoing a phase of identity formation, figuring out whether it is a new field, discipline, paradigm, or movement. This is true for all branches of knowledge – even public health itself underwent similar birthing pains.

However, what makes planetary health unique, as compared to other fields or disciplines, is that the domain that it seeks to address, as Kristof already implied, is bound by a very tight timeframe. In general, the pace of human action has lagged behind Mother Nature’s accelerated environmental change – take for example the 21 years it took for countries to negotiate a climate agreement. A fellow Filipino scholar, Laurence Delina, was even suggesting in his new book that a global crisis such as climate change requires rapid action similar to war-time mobilization. While planetary health carries a more constructive, and not a belligerent, tone, it can become a unique opportunity for catching up for lost time – but only if it wants to.

So what should the planetary health community do to accelerate its pace? Kristof proposed that we need to start with the individual. He urged planetary health proponents to curb carbon emissions from air travel, to immerse in local communities (perhaps especially in places already affected by planetary health challenges), and to even take two months off from work (which I suppose is to not just limit personal environmental footprint, but also to give oneself a time for restoring energy and wellbeing). While I do not disagree with these specific activities (and I am sure there are much more), I think what he is implying is that planetary health should be framed as a way of life, not just a novel academic curiosity. We therefore need to think deeper on what actions and behaviors constitute a planetary health way of living, and be the first ones to internalize and practice them and lead the rest of the world by example.

In my young global health (or if you like, planetary health) career, I certainly have emitted way less carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than the likes of Richard Horton or Larry Summers which Kristof mentioned (By the way, Larry Summers is not yet involved in the planetary health community, but maybe we should recruit him.). But as I become more involved in the promotion and development of the planetary health idea, I certainly am learning to appreciate the value of consistency, making sure that I walk the talk. This is to ensure that I do not contribute to global pollution but also to serve as a genuine role model for others and enhance my credibility as a planetary health leader (or simply, planetary healer). We can only convince others to follow suit if we practice what we preach.

This article was published in International Health Policies. Read more here.