Ecological Determinants of Resilient Health Systems

Global health systems are increasingly challenged by converging crises—including emerging infectious diseases, climate emergency, biodiversity loss, disruptions to food systems, and growing inequities. These crises are not independent; they arise from interconnected social ecological systems that shape health risks long before clinical systems detect them.

Traditional health frameworks recognize the social determinants of health, yet they often overlook the foundational role of ecological integrity in shaping health outcomes. Degrading ecosystems alter pathogen dynamics, disrupt food and water security, intensify climate hazards, and erode the natural systems that sustain human well-being.

To address these interconnected risks, health systems must move beyond reactive crisis response toward upstream prevention that reduces risk at its source.

An emerging framework that can help operationalize this shift is the exposome, which captures the totality of environmental exposures individuals and populations experience across their lifetimes—including biological, ecological, chemical, and social influences. Aligned with the World Health Summit 2026 leitmotif “From Crisis to Resilience: Innovating for Health,” this session will explore how expanding the determinants of health framework to include ecological integrity and exposome-informed approaches strengthens health systems.

By embedding ecological intelligence and exposome data into surveillance systems, governance structures, financing mechanisms, and policy innovation, health systems can better anticipate, prevent, and adapt to emerging risks.
Drawing on examples from conservation landscapes, wildlife health surveillance, and community based environmental stewardship, the session will demonstrate how cross-sector innovation can transform health systems to anticipate crises rather than merely respond to them.