Hohashi defines planetary health as “an interdisciplinary field of study for understanding the interaction/transaction between the global environment and human health, and to build a sustainable future for the entire planet.”
Humans are part of the global environment system, and the wellness of family members and the well-being of families are related to the global environment, also making it an important concept in the field of nursing. In the Concentric Sphere Family Environment Theory (CSFET), planetary health is included in the “biosphere” of the supra system, and the relationship between planetary health and family well-being can be understood.
At present, the impact of environmental change and destruction, e.g. climate change, natural disasters, destruction of undeveloped woodlands near populated areas (referred to as “satoyama”), etc., occurring on a global scale on family members and families is becoming increasingly serious. Planetary health transverses such fields as environmental issues, public health and economic development, and offers guidelines for promoting changes in awareness and behavior toward building a sustainable future. The Lancet Planetary Health, an open-access journal published in the U.K. since 2017, strives to deepen understanding of planetary health and disseminate knowledge in order to propose countermeasures.