Submissions for Late-breaking Posters at the 2026 Climate & Health Conference are due August 28, 2026

Deadline extended: Nominations for the 2026 Climate & Health Awards are due September 14, 2026

Planetary Health Journal Club

Members meet monthly throughout the academic year to critically evaluate recent and classic articles in the academic literature on the implications of global environmental change for health and health systems.

Join the Journal Club

Upcoming Dates & Papers

May 14, 2026

  • Ebi et al., (2025). The Attribution of Human Health Outcomes to Climate Change: A Transdisciplinary Guidance Document. Clim Change 178, 143. https://rdcu.be/eUSQR

June 11, 2026

  • TBD

If you are interested in presenting a paper, please reach out to climate.health@utoronto.ca

About

The Journal Club meets on the second Thursday of each month at 12-1 pm ET (September to June) to explore a wide range of literature*, across the social, health, and physical sciences, including

  • Health – Climate and health, planetary health, traditional Indigenous knowledge, political ecology of health, One health, ecohealth etc.
  • Health systems – Sustainable health and care, low carbon health services, climate resilient health and care systems, etc.
  • Critical ecological inquiry – Critical and heterodox challenges and alternatives including ecological and post-growth economics, decolonizing climate science, etc.

*We review empirical and conceptual work and do not generally discuss review articles. We also review selected “works in progress” from our members.

Eligibility & Commitment

The Journal Club welcomes faculty, researchers, students, trainees, and professionals who are looking to better understand the implications of global environmental change for health and health systems.

  • Journal Club members are expected to attend at least 50% of the 2025-2026 sessions
  • Journal Club members are expected to have read the article in advance and meaningfully engage in the discussion

We also welcome guests who bring forward articles, which could either be their own work or work they’re keen to discuss. Please reach out if you would like to join as a guest and present an article for discussion.

Join the Journal Club

Previously Reviewed Articles

September: Anderson W, Troy J, Lucas T, Capon A, Komesaroff P, Callicott JB, Cole J, Dunk J, Guinto R, Jones DS, Kowal E. (2025). Bioethics for the planet. The Lancet. Online First. Jul 29. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01068-2

October: Sage, C. (2022). The food system, planetary boundaries and eating for 1.5°C: the case for mutualism and commensality within a safe and just operating space for humankind. Edward Elgar Publishing.  
https://doi-org.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/10.4337/9781800880269

November: Corvellec H, Stowell AF, Johansson N. (2022). Critiques of the circular economy. Journal of industrial ecology. Apr;26(2):421-32. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13187

December: McKibben B. (2025). Solar Energy Is Not Just Good For The Earth—It’s Practical in Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization. https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/solar-power-book-excerpt/

Additional suggested readings:

February: Katirai A. (2024). The Environmental Costs of Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare. Asian Bioeth Rev. Jun 21;16(3):527-538. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41649-024-00295-4

March: Abuawad et al., (2025). The Ongoing Environmental Destruction and Degradation of Gaza: The Resulting Public Health Crisis. American Journal of Public Health 115, 1053- 1061. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308140

April: West et al., (2025). A People-first Approach to Achieving Global Climate and Nature Goals. One Earth. 8(10): 101461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101461

Lancet Planetary Health Commission Report

Health Systems Response to Climate Change

Ecological constitutionalism within the Canadian context

Net zero is not enough

Hospitals as factories of medical garbage

The unbearable heaviness of climate coloniality

City planning policies to support health and sustainability