Q&A with Andrew Lakoff: Why planetary health is the foundational step to a sustainable future

Andrew Lakoff investigates how specialists, across fields from public health to environmental affairs to security, create knowledge about and strategize for an unpredictable future. With a background in the anthropology of science and medicine, Lakoff is a sociology and anthropology professor at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, where he also leads the USC Dornsife Center on Science, Technology, and Public Life (STPL).

STPL has recently initiated a cooperative research endeavor themed “The City on Life Support: Los Angeles as a Laboratory for Planetary Health.” This project combines humanists and social scientists with environmental and health experts to explore the connections between planetary ecosystems and urban public health.

During this Earth Month, USC News conversed with Lakoff regarding the significance of planetary health and how our prosperity is closely linked to the vitality of Earth’s ecosystems. 

How do you personally define planetary health, and in what way is it distinct from conventional public health or environmental studies?

Lakoff: Conventional public health typically centers on humans, even while considering the impacts of hazardous pollutants on human well-being or the transmission of zoonotic diseases to human groups. The notion of planetary health, however, highlights that human health hinges on the flourishing of planetary ecosystems.

The air we breathe, the water we consume, the food we partake in: These essential resources rely on the functioning of what proponents of planetary health call the Earth’s “life support systems.” If bee populations dwindle due to pesticide usage, our food network is compromised; if climate change triggers significant wildfires, our ability to breathe becomes jeopardized. In other words, planetary health is a framework for understanding our connection to the nonhuman environment as one of mutual reliance.

What initially attracted you to this area of research, and what continues to motivate your work?

Lakoff: My research focuses on the systems of expert knowledge about human health and well-being: What are their beliefs regarding the origins of sickness and the foundations of healing? How do they conceptualize the relationship between organisms and their environment? The idea of creating a new field of understanding and intervention, “planetary health,” is captivating as it attempts to unite what are frequently perceived as independent domains. Advocates contend that through modernization and industrialization we have prioritized economic expansion and prosperity, but this has often undermined the wellness of the nonhuman realm and jeopardized our own health.

If you could reshape one element of modern society to more closely align with planetary health, what would it be and why?

Lakoff: It’s intriguing to contemplate what a “planetary health” strategy for redesigning our food system might entail. We would likely utilize fewer pesticides and chemical preservatives, treat livestock more compassionately, safeguard the habitats of fisheries, and reduce our intake of processed foods. The health of food would not only be evaluated based on its caloric content and nutritional benefits for humans, but also on the impacts of its production on the vitality of ecosystems. In this context, planetary health connects an ethical responsibility towards others with our own self-care. 

What does a planetary health perspective offer communities recovering from climate-induced disasters, such as the L.A. wildfires, particularly regarding long-term resilience and equity?

Lakoff: Planetary health serves as a reminder that processes which may seem distant and abstract — like the levels of greenhouse gases emitted by human actions each year, or the volumes of toxic waste discarded — have direct consequences on the potential for prosperity in our locales. If we could directly attribute the costs of catastrophic incidents like wildfires — not only to those who lose their homes but to all of us who inhale wildfire smoke or even see our insurance premiums rise — embedding those costs into the price of carbon could foster a more resilient economic life as well as enhance justice.

Looking forward, what fills you with optimism?

Lakoff: This might be a challenging time for optimism, as we face direct challenges against initiatives aimed at fostering knowledge that would bolster planetary health. Nonetheless, I remain impressed by the enthusiasm and creativity of individuals striving to move beyond the era of unchecked resource exploitation and planetary degradation. Now is the moment to continue advocating for both human and nonhuman life.