Western Pacific Network on Climate and Health Education

Overview:

The GCCHE Western Pacific Network will strive to become the regional focal point to offer equitable and accessible educational and capacity building opportunities and resources for all health professionals and students to protect the most vulnerable and diverse populations from climate change and environmental breakdown in the disaster-prone region, and to help achieve resilient and sustainable health systems for all. 

Key Partners:  

The Director of the Western Pacific Network is Prof. Ying Zhang, an Associate Professor at the School of Public Health at the Univeristy of Sydney, the Founder and Co-Chair of the Sustainability, Climate, and Health Collaboration at the University of Sydney, and the Co-Director of the Lancet Countdown Oceania on Health and Climate Change.

The Western Pacific Network will operate in close coordination with and as a regional network of the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE). Under the leadership of Prof. Cecilia Sorensen, the GCCHE offers their expertise and best practice sharing to the Western Pacific Network and sits on its Steering Committee. Collaboration between the Western Pacific Network and GCCHE promotes transatlantic collaboration on climate and health teaching for future health professionals. 

The Aim:

• A holistic, eco-social, transdisciplinary and interprofessional approach will be adopted to develop and share training and capacity building resources on climate change, sustainability and planetary health, in the culturally diverse context of the Western Pacific region.

  

• Priorities will be given to reduce gender inequality and promote Indigenous health.
• The Western Pacific Network will work closely alongside the GCCHE to develop educational programs in line with the Four Strategic Pillars: Institutional Engagement and Student Education, Professional Training, Policy and Advocacy & Community-Focused Solutions.

Inaugural Regional Course:

The first Western Pacific Climate and Health Responder Course will occur March 11 - April 15, 2025 (Tuesdays & Thursdays) from 12:00 - 1:30pm Australia Eastern Standard Time (AEST). Join us to learn about climate and health in the region! 

Contact: Prof. Ying Zhang (She/Her), University of Sydney, at: ying.zhang@sydney.edu.au