A call from the community of Sports and Exercise Medicine to adopt the Planetary Health paradigm
- May 9, 2025
- 2 min read
This viewpoint argues that the Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) research community, which is primarily concerned with the protection and promotion of the health of athletes and the populations, has both the responsibility and the opportunity to actively engage in Planetary Health initiatives, with the aim to enhance and protect both human and environmental well-being. As human activities accelerate climate change and environmental degradation, both sport and healthcare contribute substantially to global ecological footprints. This paper connects SEM practices with broader planetary health imperatives, offering practical steps to move from awareness to action.
The authors build their argument based on the Planetary Health paradigm, highlighting the impacts of environmental change on sport practice (e.g. pollution and increasing temperatures affecting health and athletes’ performance) and the impacts of SEM activities (e.g. athlete transport and medical practices) on ecosystems. Hence, continuing a “business-as-usual” approach in sports and medicine will worsen ecological crises, while adopting a Planetary Health framework can enhance resilience, human health, and social trust. Achievable strategies include e.g. reducing overtreatment, promoting active transport, and shifting to plant-based diets.
The study proposes six action areas: carbon footprint reporting, environmental impact research, education about current Planetary Health issues, health system optimization, eco-ethical leadership, and advocacy for systemic change. The call to action is evident and the authors recommend to embrace eco-ethical leadership, reframe professional practices through a sustainability lens, and leverage the SEM community’s social influence to drive meaningful change for people and the planet.
The authors also share a course for higher education students and health and sports professionals on the theme of ‘Planetary Limits, Sport and Health’, available in French language at this link: https://youtu.be/1duPH5oJEa8?si=emPaaCJ8lkeEN5Mt
CITE: Lemarchand, B., Marrauld, L., Dandrieux, P. E., Sarfati, M., & Edouard, P. (2025). Planetary Health: why not empower the Sports and Exercise Medicine community to play the game of life well?. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 11(1), e002409. Doi: 10.1136/ bmjsem-2024-002409
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Importantly, integrating institutional risk frameworks into this paradigm will strengthen its implementation. Health systems, sporting organizations, and academic institutions must formally assess climate-related risks, environmental impacts, and long-term sustainability within their governance structures. Embedding planetary health metrics into institutional risk assessment processes can help mitigate environmental harm, improve preparedness for climate-related disruptions, and align sport with global sustainability goals.
The call from the Sports and Exercise Medicine community to embrace the Planetary Health paradigm highlights the need for sustainable practices that protect both human and environmental health. Similarly, businesses can support sustainability while ensuring quality by using energy-efficient refrigerated truck rental for transporting perishable goods.
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