What inspired your interest in Planetary Health?

Early in my career, my research focused on the social and motivational contexts of schools. A fellowship from the Spencer Foundation shifted my trajectory, providing me with an opportunity to focus in on the social connection and motivational pieces of the environmental puzzle. Specifically, I started investigating how social psychological approaches like storytelling could enhance environmental education. Over the following years, I’ve pivoted more portions of my research toward climate change education and environmental education.

For years I had appreciated how important the framing of environmental issues is for facilitating or constraining discussions. In 2024, a conversation about Planetary Health education made me realize the power framing the connection between the planet’s health and our own health, which is universally compelling to individuals. Learning more about the core concepts of Planetary Health gave me a nuanced perspective on educating for it, with considerations for the complex, ethical, and timely challenges we face in addressing the impacts of the destruction of Earth’s natural systems.

Tell us about your Planetary Health work at JHU

In the fall of 2024, I co-authored a manuscript with Lindi Shepard and Samuel Myers, highlighting the critical role of education in advancing Planetary Health. This paper maps out the unique considerations of Planetary Health education, such as the need for learning to reach all age groups, from “pre-K to gray.” The article also proposes ways for educational research communities to support practitioners in navigating the complexities and challenges of teaching Planetary Health. This manuscript served as the foundation for a course I currently teach, aimed at preparing future educators to address climate change, sustainability, Planetary Health, and environmental justice in their classrooms.

As Co-director of JHIPH’s Education program, I am also helping with a landscape analysis of Planetary Health coursework across Johns Hopkins University. Our goal is to establish a system for annually assessing the curricular footprint of Planetary Health, gaining a clearer understanding of its current presence and identifying opportunities for growth.

What excites you about the future of Planetary Health?

One of the things that really excites me about Planetary Health is the potential to bridge divides and spark meaningful conversations. Since the term itself is still relatively unfamiliar to many, it provides an opportunity to engage people from different perspectives who might otherwise be entrenched in their views on “climate” topics but may not yet have strong opinions about “Planetary Health.” The idea that a healthy planet is essential for human health resonates intuitively with most people, regardless of their political identities. This opens the door for real discussions about how to address the Earth crisis, which I find particularly exciting, especially because many past approaches have struggled to overcome people’s biases. Thus, somewhat ironically, the fact that Planetary Health is not yet widely known gives it a unique advantage—it allows for a fresh start in these much-needed conversations.

More about Hunter Gehlbach:

Hunter is passionate about the power of storytelling to inspire better stewardship of our planet. Read an article he co-authored with Qiyang Zhang and Kate Cornwall, featured in the Association for Psychological Science Observer, on “Scientific Storytelling for the Current Climate.” This article details their research on incorporating psychological strategies into storytelling practices to encourage alignment and action in protecting the planet.