[Biodiversity: the basis of a healthy society under serious pressure]

Worldwide, 1.9 million species of organisms have been described, a fraction of the estimated 1 to 6 billion species. Biodiversity has decreased by tens of percent, both worldwide and in the Netherlands, as a result of a wide range of human activities. Human health (physical, mental and social) is highly dependent on four categories of ecosystem services: production services (e.g. production of medicines, food), regulatory services (e.g. pollination of important food crops, improvement of living environment quality, regulation of diseases), cultural services (e.g. spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, recreation, aesthetic enjoyment and habitat services. Health care can play an active role in a variety of ways to minimize health risks as a result of (changes in) biodiversity and enhance the health benefits of biodiversity: increase own knowledge, anticipating risks, reducing own impact, increasing biodiversity and stimulating social debate.