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.
However, communicating complex scientific data in an accessible and compelling way remains a significant challenge, particularly in regions where public trust in science varies widely. (From https://www.sydney.edu.au/arts/news-and-events/news/2025/03/05/advancing-science-communication-for-planetary-health.html)
“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.
To deliver the project the University of Sydney partnered with Universitas Airlangga in Surabaya, the Society of Indonesian Science Journalists (SISJ), the Science Journalists Association of Australia (SJAA), and the University of Sydney’s Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC).
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.”
He is involved with the Society of Indonesian Science Journalists (SISJ) and writes about science on his blog, www.sciencewatchdog.id, where he subsequently reflected on his visit to the Blue Mountains in his article: Invisible Narrative of Planetary Health in the Global South which can be read here: https://sciencewatchdog.id/2025/04/15/invisible-narrative-of-planetary-health-in-the-global-south/
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
Read and share our Planetary Health news stories at https://planetaryhealthnews.com/
Subscribe to the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Newsletter here >
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