Planetary Health NewsStrengthening community and restoring the health of our planet.
Advancing Science Communication for Planetary Health
Academics and Indonesian science journalists, science communication experts and bioscientists participate in a workshop at the Planetary Health Centre
Building science journalism is pivotal to tackling planetary health, and collaborating internationally is critical as we work together to protect the health of all species. In early April the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre took part in a project funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) entitled “Advancing Science Communication for Planetary Health” (SciCoPH)
Key Points:
As part of an international project to advance science communication for planetary health, Indonesian science journalists, science communication experts and bioscientists took part in a workshop at the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre on 8 April.
This DFAT-funded project led by the University of Sydney is furthering collaboration between Indonesian and Australian science journalists on the issue of planetary health.
“By strengthening communication channels and skills, we can advance scientific trust and empower communities to respond effectively to planetary health challenges,” said project lead Professor Sonja van Wichelen from the University of Sydney.
The project is furthering collaboration between Indonesian and Australian science journalists on the issue of planetary health across Australasia and Southeast Asia:
Indonesia faces pressing environmental and health challenges, from climate change and deforestation to air pollution and emerging infectious diseases.
Effective science communication is essential to addressing these issues, ensuring that scientific knowledge reaches policymakers, educators, and the broader community in ways that drive meaningful change.
“By strengthening communication channels and skills, we can advance scientific trust and empower communities to respond effectively to planetary health challenges,” said project lead Professor Sonja van Wichelen, from the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Sydney.
“Science communication is more than just disseminating information—it’s about critical accountability as well as creating narratives that inspire action and change,” said Professor van Wichelen.
As part of the project the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre led a workshop for Indonesian science journalists, science communication experts and bioscientists to share work being done in the Blue Mountains.
Learning about the landscape and vulnerability of Katoomba and Blue Mountains, and the importance of the natural water catchment ecosystem of the swamp (Photo: courtesy Ilham Akhsanu Ridlo from www.sciencewatchdog.id )
It focused on Blue Mountains City Council’s work to protect biodiversity, restore the hydrological cycle, reduce disaster risk and build evidence-based hyperlocal communications to strengthen community and share solutions for restoring the health of our planet.
Building relationships over lunch at the Centre.
After lunch and the workshop at the Centre they visited the Three Sisters and then took part in a Symposium with Australian Science Journalists at the University of Sydney the next day.
Learning more about the World Heritage Listed Blue Mountains (Photo courtesy of Professor Sonja van Wichelen)
The Symposium at the University of Sydney the next day (Photo courtesy of Professor Sonja van Wichelen)
Ilham Akhsanu Ridlo, PhD Researcher at the Department of Media and Communication, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich and Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Public Health, Airlangga University in Surabaya, believes “science communication is essential for bridging the gap between research practices and health policy implementation.” His research focuses on “how scientists and journalists influence decision-makers to understand scientific uncertainty.”
A UNESCO World Heritage site with a strong tradition of environmental consciousness, the region has faced compounding ecological crises—from the devastating 2019–20 bushfires to successive flooding and pandemic disruptions.
In response, the Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC) launched a Planetary Health Initiative in 2021, becoming one of the first municipal governments to embed planetary health into local sustainability governance. This initiative not only addresses climate adaptation but institutionalises participatory planning frameworks that bridge scientific expertise with community-driven knowledge systems. As part of the BMCC’s expanding vision, the Initiative is now leading a comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) program designed to align with the principles of planetary health.
The SciCoPH team at the Planetary Health Centre
By fostering connections between researchers, communicators, and local communities, the goal of this project is to contribute “to building a stronger science-literate society that can address the pressing environmental and health crises of our time.”
Take Action:
Contact the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Team if you’d like to share your stories on our Planetary Health news sites planetaryhealth@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
Yesterday the community gathered to celebrate Sister Jacinta Shailer`s 98th Birthday! Earlier this year at the Planetary Health Centre she urged us all to join a revolution centred in the transformative power of love, by joining heroic communities that foster compassion, justice, care of the needy, creative imagining, ways of life-giving thinking, ways of contemplating the wonders of our world in the small and the large, the weird and the wonderful. Watch an excerpt of her speech here or read our full story published earlier this year in Katoomba Area Local News (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/create-heroic-communities/
Council is calling on the community to contribute to the development of a Community Climate Risk Assessment and Adaptation Plan (CCRAA). There will be a Community Climate Risk and Adaptation Workshop on Saturday 30 August, from 10am to 1pm at Springwood Sports Club, followed by lunch.
You can also contribute by completing the online survey before 29 August.
Your knowledge and experience are critical in helping identify local risks, priorities and practical solutions. Many in our community are already taking action, and these stories, along with diverse perspectives, will help shape a more resilient future for the Blue Mountains.
We encourage you to attend and share the event with your networks to help ensure every voice is heard.
Places are limited for the workshop, so register early here (link in profile): https://climateriskworkshop.eventbrite.com.au Complete the survey here (link in profile): https://yoursay.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/community-climate-risk-and-adaptation-plan-community-survey
The development of this plan is being funded by the NSW Government’s Western Sydney Infrastructure Grant Program.
This video captures the most moving speech at the Peace Symposium: that by journalist and teacher Harumi Hayakawa, who described the true horror and tragedy of nuclear weapons. She went on to describe how, after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the people of both cities dedicated themselves to peace building from the grassroots. Small yet courageous actions by these individuals have reached and changed countless lives in the world. After her presentation, Harumi taught families at the Community Peace Picnic how to fold paper cranes.
At the Peace Symposium, Rotarian Jennifer Scott AM outlined how Rotarians around the world are taking action for peace: from providing mental health first aid in our local community to working for social and environmental justice on a global scale. You can watch an excerpt from her presentation in this video.
In his opening speech for the Peace Symposium Dharug man Chris Tobin shared a Dreamtime story about the Waratah, which emerged from a bloody conflict as a symbol of reconciliation.
@mark_greenhill_oam, Mayor of the City of Blue Mountains, welcomed participants to the Forum: Ban the Bomb, Sign the Treaty at the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium. As a signatory of Mayors for Peace he spoke of the urgency to act to prevent nuclear war and to end the genocide in Gaza.
The Peace Symposium was organised to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
You can watch our full playlist of videos for Making Peace on our YouTube channel (link in profile): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kODwpPinQx4&list=PLBu_QF9Pp5hPoaLWW0ZLHhwS6hPd-x-Rl
View Ecopella`s rousing anthem `You`re Needed Now!` They performed it at the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium on the eve of the March for Humanity and the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Contact them if you`re interested in joining the choir which has branches around Eastern NSW.
If you`d like to hear the other presentations at the Symposium visit the Planetary Health YouTube channel (link in profile)
Renowned Permaculture teacher and Katoomba resident Rowe Morrow has been a Quaker for 40 years. She spoke at the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium about the extraordinary work Quakers have done, and are doing, for Peace, and the strategies they`ve developed: from working to abolish slavery, to being instrumental in starting Oxfam and Amnesty International, to training communities in non-violent communication and conflict resolution, conscientious objection, direct action, divestment strategies and more. You can listen to her discuss these in her presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kODwpPinQx4&t=5s
This week President Trump gave an order for two nuclear submarines to proceed towards Russia. This act was the starting point of Robert Tickner`s talk at the Forum: Ban the Bomb, Sign the Treaty in the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium yesterday.
This week marks the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima and, as ICAN Ambassador, Robert Tickner helped launch ICAN`s Week of Action for Abolition at the Symposium. You can listen to his full talk in the video below or view it on YouTube via link in profile:
Despite the very challenging weather for the Peace Symposium yesterday we also enjoyed an indoor `Community Picnic` with delicious food, origami crane and badge making workshops, a book stall by RoseyRavelston books, and wonderful performances by Ecopella and the Bearded Ladies Community Choir. The venue was dotted with historical posters reflecting a long history of the Blue Mountains taking a stand against war and nuclear weapons and we were thrilled to hear during the Symposium that the Supreme Court had authorised the March for Humanity today.
A huge thank you to the @bm_peace_collective, the speakers, very engaged participants, performers, volunteers and staff who helped make the inaugural Blue Mountains Peace Symposium such a success yesterday! We heard from CEO Dr Rosemary Dillon, Dharug man Chris Tobin, journalist and teacher Harumi Hayakawa, Rotarian Jennifer Scott, Quaker Rowe Morrow, artist Matilda Emmerich, Peace Collective members Bruce Cornwall and Catherine Dobbie, Mayor Mark Greenhill, MC Nick Franklin, ICAN Ambassador Robert Tickner, Indonesian ambassador Siswo Pramono, Federal Member Susan Templeman MP and members of the audience. If you`d like to get involved and receive information about future events you can subscribe to receive our newsletter via the Planetary Health website here (link in profile): https://www.bluemountainsplanetaryhealth.com.au/
Playgrounds can host a variety of natural wonders – and, of course, kids! Now some students are not just learning about insects and spiders at school — they are putting them on the map and even discovering and naming new species.
