Introduction

Created in 1945, the United Nations is celebrating 80 years of existence. As the largest diplomatic and political international organization in the world, its purpose is to promote peace, international security, and cooperation among countries. The UN has been at the center of debates, conflicts, and development initiatives since the end of World War II.

Its major project, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is a global action plan with several goals to be achieved by 2030, despite significant delays. In addition, initiatives such as UN80, which aims to be transformative, and the Pact for the Future may help the UN become more agile and cost-effective, increasing its impact amid severe financial constraints and geopolitical turbulence.

Brazil, which in 2024 chaired the G20—representing the world’s 20 largest economies plus the European Union and the African Union—and in 2025 chaired BRICS+, COP 30, and Mercosur, has gained substantial international prominence.

Major powers are competing for political and economic hegemony. No longer through soft-power diplomacy, but through the use of force, including nuclear force. Devastating military conflicts will continue to claim lives and cause physical and mental harm to millions. In addition, the unilateral increase of trade tariffs imposed by the United States seeks to boost revenue, revitalize domestic industry, and attract hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign investment and imports, flagrantly violating the fundamental principles of the WTO that are essential to the functioning of international trade.

Nothing indicates that human aggression against the planet—leading to the triple planetary crisis (climate, biodiversity, and pollution)—will be met with responses from nature any less severe than those we are already witnessing. Extreme heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires, and countless other manifestations are causing deaths, suffering, and long-lasting impacts worldwide.

At the same time, the number of countries in conflict is the highest since World War II. These confrontations disrupt the core of development, hinder stable governance, economic activity, and investments in human capital, underscoring the urgent need for stronger global governance.

All these political, social, economic, and environmental factors strongly affect human and planetary health, as they are unequivocal determinants of health.

What are the political, social, economic, and environmental causes and consequences of these devastating processes?

Why is it important to understand them in depth exactly as they unfold?

How can we situate ourselves in the midst of all this?

These and other questions will be discussed in depth in the Course on Current Issues in Global Health and Health Diplomacy.

The Campus Virtual Fiocruz offers free, large-scale online courses through its dedicated platform. We are a decentralized network of professionals and institutions that share training programs, resources, services, courses, and educational activities, making intensive use of information, communication, and educational technologies to enhance the learning experience in health education and to strengthen the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS).

This training is aligned with Fiocruz's commitment to the democratization of knowledge and open access to information. In addition, the Campus Virtual Fiocruz maintains partnerships with several networks and institutions, reaffirming the principles of Fiocruz's Open Access Policy.