Keynote lectures „Physical activity, climate change and planetary health”
Researchers from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Physical Activity and Public Health have increased efforts to engage the scientific community, policy-makers and sports organisations in discussions on how to promote physical activity in a sustainable way.
In 2023, Karim Abu-Omar (Co-Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre) gave keynote presentations at the following conferences:
12th Conference of HEPA Europe, the European Network for the Promotion of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (title of the keynote: Physical activity promotion and climate change or “Do we need a concept of sustainable HEPA?”) in Leuven (Belgium).
28th TAFISA World Congress (keynote: “What role and responsibility can sport for all play in tackling the climate crisis?”) in Düsseldorf (Germany).
The MOVE Congress hosted by ISCA (keynote: “Grassroots sport and planetary health – healthy people on a sick planet?”) in Madrid, Spain.
WHO Collaborating Centre staff also supported a European Physical Activity Workshop with members of the European Focal Points Network on Physical Activity. During the workshop, participants discussed different frameworks for policy monitoring and the issue of climate change and physical activity. The workshop took place during the HEPA conference in Leuven, Belgium.
The following scientific papers on the topic of physical activity and climate change were published by WHO Collaborating staff in 2023:
Abu-Omar, K., Chevance, G., Tcymbal, A., Gelius, P., & Messing, S. (2023). Physical activity promotion, human and planetary health – a conceptual framework and suggested research priorities. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 13.
Gelius, P., Till, M., Messing, S., Tcymbal, A., & Abu-Omar, K. (2023). Must we tell people to be less active? The dilemma of physical activity recommendations from a holistic health perspective. German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research.
Siefken, K., & Abu-Omar, K. (2023). Striking a Balance: Physical Activity and Planetary Health. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 20(12), 1081-1083.