Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Human activity is causing significant changes to the climate and other vital earth systems, imperiling our future. Planetary Health is a solutions-oriented field aiming to study and address the complex interactions between environmental degradation and human health. In this presentation, Dr. Sonja Wicklum and Dr. Steve Wilton, Co-Directors of the Cumming School of Medicine’s new Planetary Health Initiative, will review concepts of planetary health, summarize their vision for the Initiative, and identify individual and collective actions that we can take to improve sustainability and resilience of our health system and the wellbeing of the populations we serve.
Dr. Steve Wilton is a Cardiologist and Associate Professor of Cardiac Sciences and Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine. He has a research program focusing on the prevention and treatment of common, high-impact cardiovascular diseases. Steve is passionate about research and advocacy on issues surrounding the health impacts of climate change and other environmental problems. He is the Co-Director for Planetary Health at the Cumming School of Medicine, and the volunteer Co-Chair of the CAPE Alberta Regional Committee.
Dr. Sonja Wicklum is a Family Doctor and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine. She practiced rurally for 18 years in MT and Ontario and now practices in Calgary’s beltline. Her research and educational focus has been on obesity and diabetes prevention, community-based strategies to support Indigenous women’s health, and most recently Planetary Health. She is active locally and Co-chairs the AFMC Planetary Health working group and volunteers internationally as the North American Co-chair of the WONCA (Global Family Doctor) Planetary Health working group. She is the Co-Director for Planetary Health at the Cumming School of Medicine.
Note: the video disconnects followed by a minor audio lag at 52:40.
Human activity is causing significant changes to the climate and other vital earth systems, imperiling our future. Planetary Health is a solutions-oriented field aiming to study and address the complex interactions between environmental degradation and human health. In this presentation, Dr. Sonja Wicklum and Dr. Steve Wilton, Co-Directors of the Cumming School of Medicine’s new Planetary Health Initiative, will review concepts of planetary health, summarize their vision for the Initiative, and identify individual and collective actions that we can take to improve sustainability and resilience of our health system and the wellbeing of the populations we serve.
Dr. Steve Wilton is a Cardiologist and Associate Professor of Cardiac Sciences and Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine. He has a research program focusing on the prevention and treatment of common, high-impact cardiovascular diseases. Steve is passionate about research and advocacy on issues surrounding the health impacts of climate change and other environmental problems. He is the Co-Director for Planetary Health at the Cumming School of Medicine, and the volunteer Co-Chair of the CAPE Alberta Regional Committee.
Dr. Sonja Wicklum is a Family Doctor and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine. She practiced rurally for 18 years in MT and Ontario and now practices in Calgary’s beltline. Her research and educational focus has been on obesity and diabetes prevention, community-based strategies to support Indigenous women’s health, and most recently Planetary Health. She is active locally and Co-chairs the AFMC Planetary Health working group and volunteers internationally as the North American Co-chair of the WONCA (Global Family Doctor) Planetary Health working group. She is the Co-Director for Planetary Health at the Cumming School of Medicine.
Note: the video disconnects followed by a minor audio lag at 52:40.
