Project holders

• Éloi Laurent, OFCE, Sciences Po
• Charlotte Halpern, CEE, Sciences Po
• Nicolas Senn, Unisanté, Université de Lausanne, Suisse 

Project team

• Nicola Banwell, Unisanté, Université de Lausanne, Suisse
• Zoé Cheli, Unisanté, Université de Lausanne, Suisse

Project description

The year 2026 marks the anniversary of two foundational texts—the WHO and Ottawa Charters—which shaped a global definition of health and health systems. However, these charters, strongly enrooted in the dominant Global North socio-economic model, do not explicitly address two major 21st-century challenges: ecological crises and social inequalities. While the health effects—both positive and negative—of continued economic growth have been well documented, the implications of transitioning to a post-growth economy for health and the organization of healthcare services remain largely unexplored.

Based on a literature review, this project aims to fill that gap by shaping  the foundations, objectives, and evaluation criteria for health and healthcare services that operate within planetary boundaries and a post-growth framework. Bringing together a research team from different disciplinary backgrounds and drawing on a practitioner-researcher collaboration, it proposes a redefinition of health that fully incorporates socio-environmental determinants and outlines pathways for transforming healthcare services in a post-growth perspective. 

The project sits at the intersection of Environmental Policies, Health Policies, and Socio-fiscal Policies research groups within LIEPP.

This project benefits from the support of LIEPP (2025 call for projects) and University of Lausanne.