Systems Thinking for One Health implementation

One Health has gained substantial political and scientific attention since the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the interconnected threats to human, animal, and ecosystem health. Challenges such as ecosystem degradation, food insecurity, pollution, emerging diseases and the climate crisis underline the urgent need for intersectoral, interdisciplinary and participatory solutions to these complex and intertwined issues. Despite this, methods to tackle such multifaceted health challenges are weakly developed and disparate, hampering One Health implementation. The SystOHm COST Action addresses this methodological challenge by building on systems thinking, a practice widely recognized as a cornerstone of One Health implementation but lacking a unified framework. This Action bridges the gap between research and implementation work by identifying needs, critically reviewing current methods, elaborating guidance, and pilot-testing innovative methods or combinations thereof. It further mobilises systems thinking methods as the bridge able to establish currently missing transdisciplinary collaborations. Drawing on a broad range of disciplines and stakeholders, the Action seeks to create a practical and unified methodological framework that fosters co-created knowledge. It commits to transdisciplinarity, engaging both researchers and stakeholders to reshape One Health in practice. By establishing a robust, collaborative network, the Action lays the groundwork for future partnerships, benefitting both researchers and implementers. It aims to guide the next generation of researchers, empowering them to develop excellence, anchored in systems thinking, and positioning them as future leaders in One Health implementation. The involvement of stakeholders will provide for fit-for-purpose methods, addressing their needs, thereby setting a solid foundation for impactful solutions.

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology)

University of Liège
Funktion: ProjektkoordinationGesamt