Health and environment co-benefits

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecology
• Public Health

Background:

• The health of ecosystems and human populations are intrinsically linked.
• Interdisciplinary concepts like One Health, EcoHealth, and Planetary Health emphasize the interdependence of living organisms and their environments.
• Human activities are causing widespread environmental degradation, threatening planetary stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the critical planetary boundaries that, if crossed, pose risks to ecosystems and human health.
• To underscore the complex and nonlinear relationships between environmental degradation and human health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Review of established interdisciplinary health concepts (One Health, EcoHealth, Planetary Health).
• Identification and discussion of the nine proposed planetary boundaries for Earth system processes.
• Analysis of the implications of crossing these boundaries for ecosystem and human health.

Main Results:

• Nine critical planetary boundaries have been identified: climate change, biodiversity loss, biogeochemical cycle disturbances, deforestation, chemical pollution, ocean acidification, ozone depletion, drinking water degradation, and aerosol pollution.
• Several of these planetary boundaries have already been crossed or are in uncertain zones.
• The connections between environmental degradation and human health are complex and nonlinear.

Conclusions:

• Maintaining ecosystem health is crucial for sustainable human development.
• Exceeding planetary boundaries presents significant, complex risks to global health.
• Urgent attention to environmental degradation is necessary to safeguard both planetary and human well-being.