Questions for Publix resident: Gesunde Erde Gesunde Menschen

What is the core of your work?

Health begins with clean air to breathe, enough water to drink, plants to eat, tolerable temperatures and good coexistence. We are committed to protecting planetary health and a future fit for grandchildren. Based on facts, but with storytelling and humor, we show how the climate crisis and species extinction are affecting our health and what huge health opportunities the transformation holds. We can have it nicer - and healthier!

How do you do that?

We mobilize the healthcare system, politics and society for our cause. Our Climate and Health media service (in German language) is a free information platform not only for journalists that supports local editorial teams in particular in reporting on the links between the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation and health. We also have many other projects: We are awarding the German Sustainability Award for Health for the first time this year and, with “Gesunde Erde - Gesunder Job”, we are bringing the topic of climate health to small and medium-sized companies. Our political format „Genug, gesund, global gerecht“ aims to achieve a transformation of global agricultural and food systems. The founder of our foundation, Eckart von Hirschhausen, helps us to achieve this by presenting our concerns at events and congresses with large audiences.

Where does the money come from?

Our funding has three pillars. The first pillar is project funding, e.g. from the Mercator Foundation, the Schöpflin Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or the German Postcode Lottery. The second pillar is donations. The third pillar is corporate collaborations as well as lecture and workshop fees.

What are you worried about?

We know that social norms have long since changed and that the majority of people are politically in favor of protecting our livelihoods. However, the willingness of others is often underestimated. So the majority don't even know that they are the majority. In addition, other crises and issues are perceived as more urgent - with corresponding consequences for election results. However, the distorted perception of the climate crisis cannot be explained solely in terms of individual and social psychology, but is also shaped by disinformation campaigns worth billions.

What has been your biggest success in recent months?

Eckart von Hirschhausen recently traveled to Rwanda with a camera team and young politicians to get a first-hand impression of what development cooperation and international climate financing really achieve. The background to this is the drastic cuts to the development cooperation budget of around 940 million euros. One day after the failure of German government coalition, we screened the resulting short film “Global ist hier!” at the Babylon cinema in Berlin. Despite the turbulent political situation, many guests from politics, civil society, and development cooperation attended. The feedback on the film and our messages was very positive. That showed us: Especially in challenging times, it is important to bring together precisely those people who are looking forward together and focusing on solutions.

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