Nature, health and wellbeing: evidence and action.
Abstract
In this talk I will present and discuss the array of interdisciplinary evidence on nature and health developed by myself and colleagues at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health. I will consider how green/blue spaces and natural environment features more generally can deliver population health benefits. There are clearly significant challenges to public health from the ‘triple crisis’ framed by WHO – climate breakdown, global biodiversity loss and environmental pollution. In this context I will discuss how the evidence on nature and health can inform policy and other interventions, and the opportunities for delivery of mutual benefits for human health and the environments we are a part of.

Prof Ben Wheeler
Ben is Professor in Environment, Health and Inequalities at the University of Exeter’s European Centre for Environment and Human Health. Ben is a health geographer and environmental epidemiologist, and his research focuses on the adverse and beneficial impacts of the environment on public health and well-being. He has particular interests in nature based solutions to promote public mental health and physical activity, and in the connections between natural environments and health inequalities. Ben works with a wide range of partners to develop and translate evidence to inform public health and environmental policy. He is co-director of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Natural Environments and Health, and currently holds an NIHR Population Health Career Scientist Award. experts.exeter.ac.uk/4303-ben-wheeler
Date: 31 January 2025, 16:15
Venue: Dyson Perrins Building, off South Parks Road OX1 3QY
Venue Details: Main lecture theatre
Speaker: Ben Wheeler (University of Exeter)
Organising department: Environmental Change Institute
Organisers: Carlyn Samuel (University of Oxford), Jane Applegarth (University of Oxford, Oxford University Centre for the Environment)
Host: Professor Yadvinder Malhi (University of Oxford)
Part of: Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery and the Biodiversity Network seminar series
Booking required?: Required
Booking url: https://oxfordbiodiversitynetwork.bookwhen.com/
Audience: Public
Editor: Carlyn Samuel