The course is led by lecturers from the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Engineering (LTH) and the Faculty of Social Sciences.
“We’ve worked together before, and in this course we’re bringing together basic knowledge of climate change and an understanding of what ecosystem services and planetary boundaries are; how to measure a person’s exposure to various substances; how to link this to health impact assessments; and how we can bring about change through policy. It involves a lot of communication and law,” says Ebba Malmqvist, the course coordinator.
International processes
She is one of the leaders of the Planetary Health research group. In her research, Ebba Malmqvist studies the indigenous peoples of the Amazon who have developed respiratory problems as a result of so-called gas flaring (a process in which gas produced during oil extraction is burned off).
“It can feel overwhelming to tackle major global issues, but if you have the right tools and understand how political and legal processes work, it becomes easier to see where you can actually make a difference,” she says.
The new course therefore aims to provide participants with practical skills that they can apply in their professional lives.
Represents civil society
Ebba Malmqvist herself is involved in organisations that represent civil society at international meetings and negotiations, and wishes to share her expertise on, for example, how to draft a statement, deliver a presentation in an international setting, and what and where There are opportunities to submit proposals.
“We can see that there is interest and commitment to these issues,” says Ebba Malmqvist.