Environmental Changes Are Fueling Human, Animal and Plant Diseases, Study Finds
Environmental Changes Are Fueling Human, Animal and Plant Diseases, Study Finds The New York Times
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Biodiversity Loss and Global Change Drivers Increase Infectious Disease Risks
Biodiversity loss, global warming, pollution and the spread of invasive species are making infectious diseases more dangerous to organisms around the world.
Several large-scale, human-driven changes to the planet — including climate change, the loss of biodiversity and the spread of invasive species — are making infectious diseases more dangerous to people, animals and plants, according to a new study.
Scientists have documented these effects before in more targeted studies that have focused on specific diseases and ecosystems. For instance, they have found that a warming climate may be helping malaria expand in Africa and that a decline in wildlife diversity may be boosting Lyme disease cases in North America.
But the new research, a meta-analysis of nearly 1,000 previous studies, suggests that these patterns are relatively consistent around the globe and across the tree of life.
“It’s a big step forward in the science,” said Colin Carlson, a biologist at Georgetown University, who was not an author of the new analysis. “This paper is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that I think has been published that shows how important it is health systems start getting ready to exist in a world with climate change, with biodiversity loss.”
In what is likely to come as a more surprising finding, the researchers also found that urbanization decreased the risk of infectious disease.
The new analysis, which was published in Nature on Wednesday, focused on five “global change drivers” that are altering ecosystems across the planet: biodiversity change, climate change, chemical pollution, the introduction of nonnative species and habitat loss or change.
Introduction
Impact of Urbanization
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
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SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 14: Life Below Water
- SDG 15: Life on Land
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Specific Targets Based on the Article’s Content
- SDG 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases.
- SDG 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- SDG 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, particularly from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.
- SDG 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
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Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article
- Number of reported cases of infectious diseases
- Extent of biodiversity loss
- Temperature changes due to global warming
- Presence and spread of invasive species
- Levels of chemical pollution
- Extent of habitat loss or change
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | SDG 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases. | Number of reported cases of infectious diseases |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | SDG 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. | Temperature changes due to global warming |
| SDG 14: Life Below Water | SDG 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, particularly from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution. | Levels of chemical pollution |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | SDG 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements. | Extent of biodiversity loss, presence and spread of invasive species, extent of habitat loss or change |
Explanation:
The issues highlighted in the article are connected to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The first SDG is SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, which addresses the impact of infectious diseases on people, animals, and plants. The specific target under this SDG that can be identified is SDG 3.3, which aims to end epidemics of various diseases and combat communicable diseases. The indicator mentioned in the article that can measure progress towards this target is the number of reported cases of infectious diseases.
The second SDG is SDG 13: Climate Action, which focuses on the impact of climate change on infectious diseases. The specific target under this SDG is SDG 13.1, which aims to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards. The indicator mentioned in the article that can measure progress towards this target is temperature changes due to global warming.
The third SDG is SDG 14: Life Below Water, which addresses the impact of pollution on marine ecosystems. The specific target under this SDG that can be identified is SDG 14.1, which aims to prevent and reduce marine pollution. The indicator mentioned in the article that can measure progress towards this target is levels of chemical pollution.
The fourth SDG is SDG 15: Life on Land, which focuses on the impact of biodiversity loss and habitat change on infectious diseases. The specific target under this SDG that can be identified is SDG 15.1, which aims to ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. The indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can measure progress towards this target are the extent of biodiversity loss, the presence and spread of invasive species, and the extent of habitat loss or change.
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Fuente: nytimes.com
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