Earth Day on the 22 April, is celebrated around the world and which is now the largest co-ordinated environmental event. I’ve spoken before about how planetary health and our wellbeing are deeply interconnected not just because of the significant influence on human health due to environmental degradation. We are a generation facing climate change, deforestation, pollution, and biodiversity loss, all of which directly impact human health. We’re seeing an increase of disease due to extreme weather events, contaminated water supplies, shortages in food caused by soil depletion and weather abnormalities and worsening air quality.

The WHO describes climate change as “the single biggest health threat facing humanity….(with) the potential to undermine decades of progress in global health.” And I would agree – protecting the planet is not just an ecological necessity—it is a fundamental requirement for human survival.

But the connection goes deeper than this and the importance of our relationship with nature often goes unseen or unspoken about. Since the 1970’s when Earth Day first started, there has been a 73% decline in global wildlife populations and a huge decrease in access to green space especially in cities across the world. During this time we have seen an incremental rise in mental health problems – with a sharp increase since the 1990’s. This could of course be due to clearer diagnoses and a reduced stigma around mental health, but I would argue there is a direct correlation between the current mental health crises and our failing relationship with nature.