Preserving biodiversity, health and environment

The Complex Relationship between Forest Ecosystems and Human Well-being

Brazzaville –

The emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases is a pressing concern for public health and environmental conservation in an increasingly interconnected world.

Recognizing the critical role of ecosystems in human survival, leaders and representatives from the world’s three largest tropical biodiversity ecosystems – the Amazon, the Congo and the Mekong-Delta River basins – are meeting this week in Brazzaville to discuss the complex relationship between forest ecosystems and human well-being.

The Importance of Ecosystems for Human Health

Healthy communities rely on well-functioning and biodiverse ecosystems. These provide clean air, fresh water, medicines, food and nutrition security and support critical ecosystem functions and services such pest and disease regulation, pollination, climate regulation, and mitigating the impacts of extreme events.

Forests also provide other key services to human health such as acting as natural watershed wardens and regulators of both quantity and quality of water in our rivers, streams and lakes. As our landscape changes, it impacts stream health, challenging the capacity of human communities to produce food and obtain drinking water.

The Role of Forests in Preventing Zoonotic Diseases

Healthy forests are essential to maintaining the ecosystem services that sustain life. The depletion of key natural forest ecosystems, including the savannah and other types of non-dense tropical growth – risk tipping the delicate balance in the animal-human interface; as ecosystems degrade, the likelihood of emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases such as Ebola and Rift Valley fever increases.

“The human disturbance of ecosystems and ensuing biodiversity loss are increasingly linked to the occurrence of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases outbreaks,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa during the 26–28 October 2023 summit in Brazzaville. “The COVID-19 pandemic, with its devastating impact on health, lives, and national economies dramatically showed why addressing these risks is critical.”

The One Health Approach

Hotspots of biodiversity such as the Amazon, the Congo and the Mekong-Delta River basins are regions with extraordinarily high levels of species diversity and endemism. But habitat devastation, deforestation and climate change are exerting considerable pressure on these regions.

To help address these challenges, WHO, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Animal Health Organization are working together through One Health approach that combines their expertise to assist countries to tackle the health threats in the animal, environment and human domain.

“Coordinated, integrated, multisectoral strategies, such as One Health, that acknowledge the interdependence of human, animal and environmental health, must be embraced by all,” said Dr Moeti.

Efforts in Africa

At the WHO Regional Office for Africa, efforts are ongoing to encourage countries to adopt and implement One Health approach to strengthen integration and inter-sector cooperation to prevent, detect and respond to emerging infectious disease threats, particularly zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance.

This strategy can be supplemented by biodiversity conservation, enhanced surveillance and monitoring, stringent regulations on wildlife trade, as well as public education to empower individuals to make informed decisions regarding their interactions with wildlife and sustenance sources.

International Cooperation for Zoonotic Disease Prevention

Our ability to combat zoonotic diseases depends on international cooperation and proactive measures. By recognizing the intricate web of factors that contribute to the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases, we can work together to protect public health and the biodiversity of the planet.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDGs 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 13 (Climate Action), and 15 (Life on Land).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:

– Target 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.

– Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.

– Target 6.2: By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.

– Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.

– Target 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.

– Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.

– Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention or imply any specific indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators