The Université de la terre is a unique European gathering dedicated to reflection, sharing, and debate to inspire action. Over the course of two days, it offers discoveries and exchanges open to all, addressing the major challenges we face for our planet, the living world, and social cohesion. The 2025 edition brought together 10,000 participants.
On March 14 and 15, 2025, the University celebrated its 20th anniversary under the theme “NATURE = FUTURE,” underlining what may seem obvious: the vital need for humanity to reconnect with nature, on which its very survival depends.
The “One Sustainable Health for All” Foundation co-organized four sessions focused on health:
- How much does our health depend on the health of our planet?
- Université de la terre 2025 – Changing our lifestyles to heal humanity – One Sustainable Health
- Mental health: a silent emergency, but voices are starting to be heard
- Healing through food
How much does our health depend on the health of our planet?
Moderated by Edwige Coupez, journalist and event facilitator, this session brought together experts from diverse backgrounds: Anne Sénéquier, doctor and researcher specializing in health, environment, and climate; Serge Morand, ecologist and evolutionary biologist; Anne-Françoise Berthon, One Health project officer at the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES); and Benoît Miribel, President of the Foundation for Sustainable Health for All.
The interconnection between Environment and Human Health: an established fact
Scientific evidence is clear: human health is intrinsically linked to the ecosystems that surround us. The quality of water, the balance of animal populations, and plant and microbial diversity directly influence our health. Any disruption of these balances leads to growing health risks, whether through emerging infectious diseases, endocrine disorders, or nutritional deficiencies linked to the degradation of natural resources.
Serge Morand illustrates these interdependencies with concrete examples: “The disappearance of certain species has unexpected health consequences. For instance, the rise in malaria cases in Costa Rica and Panama is linked to the decline of frog populations, which feed on mosquito larvae that transmit the disease. Similarly, the spread of white-nose syndrome among bats in the United States is disturbing ecological and health balances.”
Climate change exacerbates these dynamics: ocean warming, disruption of hydrological cycles, the collapse of pollinator insect populations, and soil acidification—all these phenomena have a direct impact on the food chain and, consequently, on human health.
Breaking down disciplinary silos: a necessity
Given the complexity of these challenges, the response must be interdisciplinary. The One Health concept, strongly advocated by the speakers, emphasizes the need to break down barriers between human medicine, veterinary medicine, and ecology. Benoît Miribel highlights the importance of expanding this vision further through a “One Sustainable Health” approach — going beyond human and animal health to include environmental health, climate, biodiversity, and our social dimensions in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. It was with this objective that the OSH Forum was launched in Lyon in 2021, bringing together a diverse range of professionals around the theme of “Life” in a borderless approach.
How to raise awareness without paralyzing action
Should we alarm the public to prompt awareness? Anne Sénéquier issues a word of caution: “Scientists present facts, but their role is not to instill fear. They lay out the issues to guide us toward the right solutions. Fear leads to paralysis. We must engage emotions differently, by showing paths to concrete action.”
The experts agree on the need to offer tangible solutions: agroecological practices, soil decontamination, sustainable water resource management… “We must return to local solutions and highlight indigenous knowledge and nature-based solutions,” stresses Serge Morand.
Beyond biodiversity: rethinking our socio-economic models
Preserving biodiversity is essential, but it will not be enough unless we challenge our economic and social models. Anne-Françoise Berthon reminds us: “The economic impact of inaction is colossal. To move away from a ‘toxic’ model, we need to propose economically viable solutions that enable change. It is imperative to cross expertise and data in the era of big data and to stop working in silos. Veterinarians depend on the Ministry of Agriculture, and doctors depend on the Ministry of Health.”
Benoît Miribel highlights the key role of the Global South: “African experts are ahead on these issues because they face them daily. The working groups of the OSH Forum contribute to the development of recommendations and best practices in a ‘Science – Societies’ dynamic, proposing innovative operational actions that are implemented locally here and elsewhere, as we all face the ‘Health – Environment – Social’ nexus.”
A future to build together
The challenges are immense, but solutions exist. Anne Sénéquier reminds us: “We have a common problem, but we need to build a shared interest in action, which is more complicated. We often wait until we are on the brink to act, but today, we can no longer afford to wait.”
This is not a choice between environmental protection and human well-being, but a balance that must be found to ensure a sustainable future. The health of our planet is also our own. It is up to scientists, decision-makers, and citizens to come together to build viable perspectives and avoid the most alarming scenarios.
