The linkages between biodiversity and human health presents a broad range of opportunities for jointly protecting health and biodiversity, and for advancing human well-being

Biodiversity encompasses all the complex interactions between living organisms that form the perfectly balanced ecosystems which support life: the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. There is no human health without biodiversity, which is also integral to development sectors that modulate health outcomes, such as pharmacy, biochemistry, biotechnology and agriculture.

Over the last decade, the multiplicity and complexity of linkages between biodiversity and human health have been increasingly recognized. However, we can improve our understanding of the complex linkages between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human health and promote co-benefits through more integrated policies and implementation activities by strengthening collaboration with the health sector and mainstreaming biodiversity and health linkages into national strategies policies, programmes, accounts and reporting instruments.

CBD/WHO State of Knowledge Review