| |
 |
| |
Professor Tony McMichael |
Humans face increasing health risks if the depletion of natural ecosystems continues unchecked, an international report co-written by ANU researchers warns.
Professor Tony McMichael and Dr Simon Hales from the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at ANU were the main authors of Ecosystems and Human Well-being, along with Dr Carlos Corvalan from the World Health Organization (WHO).
“The report recognises that our widespread damage to the planet’s ecosystems is seriously weakening nature's support systems for humans,” Professor McMichael said.
“Climate change, for example, can adversely affect agricultural output, leading to malnutrition. In another example, deforestation can increase breeding grounds for mosquitoes and increase the spread of diseases like malaria.
“This report serves notice on us that we are currently heading in a non-sustainable direction. We cannot continue to live by eroding nature's 'capital'; we must find a way of living off the 'interest' that is on offer.”
Ecosystems and Human Well-being, published by the WHO for the United Nations and launched in Bangkok recently, details how human actions have resulted in more changes to the environment in the last 50 years than at any other time in history.
The findings include:
• Due to higher per-person consumption levels, the world's richer populations exert disproportionate pressure on global ecosystems, but are less vulnerable to the adverse consequences.
• Those most at risk from ecosystem failure tend to be those who would be least able to cope.
• Poverty and hunger have tended to force rural people onto marginal drought-prone lands with poor soil fertility, and others to urban slums.
• Diminished human health and well-being tends to increase the immediate dependence on ecosystem services. This additional pressure can further damage the ecosystems' ability to deliver support.
• Continuation of the growing exploitation of ecosystems and the declining condition of most ecosystems is unsustainable and likely to lead to irreversible changes.
• Ecosystem changes may occur on such a large scale as to have a catastrophic effect on human health.
Professor McMichael is a member of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
|
Search Marketing & Comm.
Home
