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Environmental Effects

Direct and indirect effects from the environment for human health 

Environment, nature and ecosystems services provide the basis for human life, human development and human health. Ironically, mankind uses to bite the hand that feeds it, as humans tend to negotiate sustained acting. Thus, human life and development themselves, population growth, consumption of resources, conversion of land or urbanisation often result in hardly reversible damages of nature and, hence, human health.

The environment directly or indirectly affects human health, often in a rather complex way. Consequences of direct environmental influences such as sun, toxins, pollution or infections are more obvious and can be analysed using classical dose response models.

 

Indirect affects such as climate changes, changes in agricultural practices, loss of diversity, urbanisation, social stress, socio-economic factors, policy responses or cultural or spiritual factors, however, usually need complex analysis determining effects for human health by indirect chains of events. Often such indirect factors have greater influence on human health.



 

Therefore, nature protection is indispensable if one is not willing to disturb human livelihood and health. The concept of nature protection or conservation for human health and human development has been described as utilitaristic. However, it needs to be appreciated that in many ethical concepts and for many people nature has an intrinsic values per se.

pdfs and links:

Sustainable Development, Global Environmental Change and Public Health

Cancer and the Environment

 

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