Reflections on grassroots leadership in planetary health.

Abstract

Background: In the process of providing healthcare, our health systems significantly contribute to the climate and nature crises, which in turn threaten the health of populations under its care. The health sector has the potential to reduce its impact on planetary health while improving patient health and reducing costs. The author suggests that all healthcare workers have the opportunity to create positive change in their professional spaces by embracing grassroots leadership. The author reflects on their own journey into grassroots leadership within planetary health and outlines why it is a vital element of the healthcare sector's response to the climate and nature emergencies.

Methods: Using the framework of the National Healthcare Service Leadership Model, the author describes and reflects on a real-life example of a grassroots movement for planetary health in their profession.

Conclusion: Readers are invited to examine the opportunities in their professional spaces for positive change in the face of the climate and ecological crises.