Canadian Association of
Nurses for the Environment

Association canadienne des infirmières
et infirmiers pour l'environnement

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Who We Are

The Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment (CANE)
is a part of the Canadian Nurses Association’s (CNA) Network of Nursing Specialties.
We represent Canadian nurses who are dedicated to the improvement of planetary health*.

*Planetary Health is...

Promoting planetary health means promoting both human health and the health of our natural world, and that is always at the heart of what we do at CANE.

“The concept of planetary health is based on the understanding that human health and human civilization depend on flourishing natural systems and the wise stewardship of those natural systems. However, natural systems are being degraded to an extent unprecedented in human history” (Whitmee et al., 2015).

Planetary health is a recognition of the fact that human health depends on healthy natural environments/ecosystems, and moreover, that we as a civilization find ourselves at a tipping point. We have depended on our natural systems to promote human health to the point where the human population is healthier than ever before, but to achieve this, we have exploited the planet at an unprecedented rate. If we want to continue to safeguard human health, we also need to maintain the health of the planet and its natural systems on which we depend.

CNA-CANE Planetary Health Position Statement (2024)

l’AIIC - ACIIE Déclaration de position sur la santé planétaire (2024)

Planetary Health position statement.
Planetary Health position statement.

In commemoration of Earth Day, the Canadian Nurses Association, in partnership with CANE-ACIIE, is proud to announce the release of the new Planetary Health position statement. (April 22, 2024). 

En commémoration du Jour de la Terre, l’Association des infirmières et infirmiers du Canada, en partenariat avec CANE-ACIIE, est fière d’annoncer la publication du nouvel énoncé de position sur la santé planétaire. (22 avril 2024).

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History

Since the 1990’s, the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) has advocated for the health of the environment, collaborating with organizations such as Friends of the Earth, the Canadian Medical Association, and the Canadian Public Health Association, in producing guidelines and position statements on issues concerning environmental health (CNA & Friends of the Earth 1995, CNA 2009a, CNA 2009b). However, nurses were expressing concerns to the CNA regarding their lack of preparation in assessing or preventing environmental health issues, best practice guidelines in reducing toxics in health care, and the lack of public policy focused on what we now call planetary health.
Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment
Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment

In 2007, the CNA conducted a nurses’ survey on environmental health (CNA 2008a). Results found that nurses lacked training tools for reducing or preventing health consequences of environmental hazards. That same year, the CNA organized six public focus groups across Canada, where Canadians identified air pollution, workplace chemicals, second-hand smoke and pesticides as environmental health issues. Participants also reported that nurses were very well respected and admired by the public, perceived as professional, knowledgeable and caring, and credible in providing information about environmental health (CNA 2008a).

Environment and health were then chosen as key themes of the CNA 2008 centennial celebrations with a view to intensify environmental involvement by and for nurses. The CNA received federal government funding to hire a manager to lead the project, and invited nurses across the country to join in this initiative focused on environmental health. The main goals of the project were to increase nurses’ awareness of environmental health issues and provide them with the tools and information they needed to support environmental health in the domains of nursing practice, education, research and policy.

Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment
Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment

At the end of the project, some members felt a strong need to continue to work on issues of advancing nursing in environmental health. First known as the Canadian Nursing Environmental Health Group (CNA n.d.) and subsequently Canadian Nurses for Health and the Environment, the organization’s foundation was set. Since then, this group of passionate, like-minded nurses from coast to coast across Canada has evolved into the very active association known today as the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment (CANE).

Canadian Nurses Association & Friends of the Earth (1995). Healing the sky: Strategies for health and
ozone layer protection. Ottawa: CNA.

Canadian Nurses Association (2009a). Nurses and Environmental Health.
https://www.cna-aiic.ca/~/media/cna/page-content/pdf-en/nurses-and-environmental-health-position-statement.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association & Canadian Medical Association (2009b). Toward an Environmentally
Responsible Canadian Health Sector. https://www.cna-aiic.ca/~/media/cna/page-content/pdf-en/jps_env_resp_e.pdf?la=en

Canadian Nurses Association. (2008a). Nurses and environmental health: Survey results.
https://www.cna-aiic.ca/~/media/cna/page-content/pdf-en/survey_results_e.pdf?la=en

Canadian Nurses Association (2008b). Climate Change Workshop Proceedings.
https://cna-aiic.ca/~/media/cna/page-content/pdf-en/climate_change_workshop_2008_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association (2008c). Environment Health and Nursing [PowerPoint Slides]. CNA.

Canadian Nurses Association (n.d.) Nursing and Environmental Health: Resources.
https://cna-aiic.ca/~/media/cna/page-content/pdf-en/environmental_handout_e.pdf

Whitmee, S., Haines, A., Beyrer, C., Boltz, F., Capon, A. G., de Souza Dias, B. F., Ezeh, A., Frumkin, H., Gong, P., Head, P., Horton, R., Mace, G. M., Marten, R., Myers, S. S., Nishtar, S., Osofsky, S. A., Pattanayak, S. K., Pongsiri, M. J., Romanelli, C., … Yach, D. (2015). The Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet Commission on planetary health: Safeguarding human health in the Anthropocene epoch. Report of The Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet Commission on planetary health. The Lancet, 386, 1973-2028. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)60901-1/fulltext

Donations
Please consider an annual donation to help us in empowering nurses to protect our planet!