ECO-EDUCATION TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS GREEN HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH: INTEGRATING ECOLOGICAL LITERACY, ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS, CRITICAL THINKING, AND MENTAL HEALTH RESILIENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE
Keywords:
Eco-Education, Green Human Resources for Health, Ecological Literacy, Environmental Ethics, Mental Health Resilience, Sustainable HealthcareAbstract
Background: Climate change, environmental degradation, pandemics, and humanitarian crises have significantly affected healthcare systems worldwide. These challenges require healthcare professionals who possess not only clinical competencies but also sustainability-oriented skills, ecological awareness, and psychological resilience. However, environmental literacy and resilience competencies remain insufficiently integrated into health professional education.. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the role of eco-education in transforming health professional education and to propose a Green Human Resources for Health (GHRH) framework that integrates ecological literacy, environmental ethics, critical thinking, and mental health resilience. Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted using publications from 2020–2025 obtained from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. Relevant literature related to eco-education, sustainability, environmental ethics, climate-health education, resilience, and workforce development was analyzed thematically. Results: The review identified four essential competencies required for future healthcare professionals: ecological literacy, environmental ethics, critical thinking, and mental health resilience. Eco-education was found to be an effective approach for strengthening these competencies. The proposed GHRH framework positions eco-education as the foundation for developing environmentally responsible, critically reflective, and resilient healthcare professionals capable of supporting sustainable healthcare systems. Conclusions: Eco-education provides a strategic pathway for transforming health professional education. Integrating ecological literacy, environmental ethics, critical thinking, and mental health resilience can contribute to the development of Green Human Resources for Health and support sustainable healthcare systems and global recovery efforts.
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