UBC EnviroMed

The Planetary Health Report Card is a metric-based tool—first developed in 2019 by medical students at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine—for evaluating planetary health content in health professional schools.

There are 5 main metrics that are evaluated in the report card: 1) Curriculum, 2) Interdisciplinary research in health and environment, 3) Community outreach and advocacy, 4) Support for student-based initiatives, and 5) Campus sustainability.

See below for a summary of findings from the 2025 Planetary Health Report Card for UBC Medicine:

1. Curriculum

• UBC offers comprehensive elective modules that cover a variety of topics in planetary health such as sustainable healthcare, impacts on health, population health, and much more.
• However, in the core curriculum, planetary health and education for sustainable healthcare is only touched on briefly and lacks in-depth coverage. There are many instances where lecturers bring up these topics but usually only include one to three slides at most as these topics are not the main discussion. As well, there are some topics listed in the report card that are not covered at all such as reproductive health effects of industry related environmental toxins, strategies for having conversations with patients about climate change, and the impact of surgical healthcare on planetary health and the climate crisis.
• Recommendations: UBC could benefit from having more in-depth coverage of these topics by including lectures that exclusively cover planetary health. As well, UBC could benefit from incorporating mandatory modules or including multiple learning goals on exams directly related to planetary health or sustainable healthcare.

2. Interdisciplinary Research in Health and Environment

• UBC lacks a central interdisciplinary department or institute dedicated to planetary health research, though related efforts exist within the Occupational and Environmental Health Division in the School of Population and Public Health.
• There is no formal process for communities disproportionately impacted by climate change to advise or influence UBC’s research agenda, though individual projects may include community engagement.
• UBC does not have a centralized planetary health website and has not hosted a recent planetary health-focused conference, despite strong sustainability initiatives.
• Recommendations: UBC should establish formal membership in planetary health organizations like the Planetary Health Alliance, develop a centralized planetary health hub or website, and host conferences or symposiums to advance interdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement in planetary health research.

3. Community Research and Advocacy

• UBC’s planetary health efforts are limited, with few dedicated courses, inconsistent community engagement, and limited post-graduate education opportunities.
• Educational resources for patients regarding environmental health and climate change impacts exist but are sparse, with some hospitals providing materials but not all being actively involved.
• Recommendations: UBC could improve by systematically integrating more accessible and standardized educational materials related to planetary health and sustainable healthcare across all affiliated hospitals, and by expanding post-graduate educational opportunities focused on these areas.

4. Support for Student-Led Initiatives

• UBC and its medical school support student groups dedicated to planetary health. Two student groups under the Medical Undergraduate Society (MUS) focus on planetary health (UBC Medical Students for Climate Action & Enviromed), receiving MUS funding and faculty support.
• Students can engage in co-curricular planetary health initiatives through the MEDD 419/429/449 courses, through the student-driven project component of the course.
• The medical school has a designated VP Planetary Health who represents students in council meetings and advocates for sustainability within the program.
• The UBC Sustainability website provides information on sustainability-related faculty, groups, and initiatives, but lacks details on active student involvement opportunities
• Recommendations: UBC could update the “UBC Sustainability” webpage to feature a section highlighting active and recruiting sustainability and planetary health-focused labs and projects, helping students connect with potential mentors and opportunities. Additionally, the university could broaden the range of sustainability-focused events.

5. Campus Sustainability

• The University of British Columbia (UBC) is committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2035, with a Climate Action Plan in place, and has implemented renewable energy sources across campus, including for medical school buildings.
• The medical school supports eco-friendly transportation through a free inter-hospital shuttle, discounted transit passes, and bike racks, though some students face challenges with off-campus clinical site access.
• UBC promotes sustainable purchasing and waste management practices across campus, with guidelines for sustainable food and beverage choices and a Green Labs Program for lab sustainability.
• UBC has partially divested from fossil fuels and aims to fully divest by 2030.
• Recommendations: UBC could appoint a full-time staff member dedicated to sustainability within the Faculty of Medicine. Additionally, the university could set more ambitious carbon-neutral targets and prioritize sourcing a greater share of campus energy from renewable sources. Efforts to enhance food and beverage sustainability remain insufficient, and UBC could push for more sustainability-focused food options. The university could mandate sustainable measures for on-campus events.

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