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World Health Day

7 April 2024, Geneva, Switzerland

Statement by David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of the World Health Day 7 April 2024

Statement by David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of the World Health Day 7 April 2024

Invitation to review the updated version of the draft global action plan to mainstream biodiversity and health linkages

Reference: SCBD/SSSF/JL/SK/MAQ/VA/91436 (2024-002)
To: CBD focal points, SBSTTA focal points, Cartagena Protocol focal points, ABS focal points, indigenous peoples and local communities, and relevant organizations

World Food Safety Day

7 June 2023, Rome, Italy

World Health Day

7 April 2023, Geneva, Switzerland

Statement by David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of the World Health Day, 7 April 2023

Statement by David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of the World Health Day, 7 April 2023

International Day of Forests: "Forests and health"

21 March 2023, Rome, Italy

Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: First external review of the thematic assessment of the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health (nexus assessment)

Reference: SCBD/IMS/NP/JC/KM/90739 (2023-002)
To: CBD National Focal Points, ABS National Focal Points, Cartagena Protocol Focal Points, SBSTTA Focal Points, indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant organizations

Expression of interest in becoming a Nature for Health (N4H) Country Partner

Reference: SCBD/SSSF/JL/LS/VA/90497 (2022-052)
To: CBD National Focal Points, SBSTTA National Focal Points, ABS Focal Points, Cartagena Protocol Focal Points, indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant organizations

Biodiversity called into focus

With ASEAN’s critical history and experience with pandemics, biodiversity and health have become among the key focus areas at the national and regional levels, according to Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Dr Theresa Mundita S Lim.

‘The scale is hard to grasp’: avian flu wreaks devastation on seabirds

Dozens of coastal sites in the UK closed to the public as H5N1 continues to sweep through wild bird populations across the world. Aquarter of Europe’s breeding seabirds spend spring in the UK, turning our coastline into a giant maternity unit. These noisy outcrops usually stink of bird poo. Howe ...

Urban wetlands ‘could improve wellbeing in deprived UK areas’

Creating wildlife-rich wetlands such as ponds, streams and rain gardens in deprived urban areas could help level up inequalities in wellbeing across the UK, according to a report.

The path to global health equity is through neglected tropical diseases. Here's why

Leaders of the Commonwealth, a group of 54 countries that are home to a third of the world’s population, met in Kigali, Rwanda, between 20-25 June, with the aim of strengthening international cooperation on some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity.

The impact of climate change on cardiovascular mortality

Two new University of Pennsylvania studies led by LDI Senior Fellow and Perelman School of Medicine cardiologist Sameed Khatana, MD, MPH are bringing a greater focus on the increasing health threat of extreme heat waves and the deadly connection between those weather events and cardiovascular mo ...

Britain’s largest butterfly at risk as fungal pathogens kill food source

Britain’s largest butterfly may be at risk from fungal pathogens that have caused a drastic die-back of the rare plant on which its caterpillars feed.

Geese, skuas, cranes and even foxes: avian flu takes growing toll on wildlife

One ecologist counted 160 dead wild birds while walking round a Scottish loch, and figures from other countries are just as worrying. As he walked along the shoreline of a Highland loch on a fine May evening, ecologist and wildlife photographer Peter Stronach could hardly believe what he was seeing.

Conserving Biodiversity, Preserving Mental Health

Activist Tori Tsui dismantles the euro-centricity and ableism of ‘eco-anxiety’ and outlines why mental health is planetary health.

New Zealand on verge of wiping out painful cattle disease

New Zealand is on the verge of eradicating a painful disease from its herd of 10 million cattle after a four-year campaign that has cost hundreds of millions of dollars and resulted in more than 175,000 cows being killed.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

28 April 2022, Geneva, Switzerland

Study: Climate change is creating disease hotspots

Although COVID-19’s precise origins may always remain a mystery, the disease that has claimed more than 6 million lives, halted global economies, and caused immense suffering most likely came from a bat.

‘Potentially devastating’: Climate crisis may fuel future pandemics

There will be at least 15,000 instances of viruses leaping between species over the next 50 years, with the climate crisis helping fuel a “potentially devastating” spread of disease that will imperil animals and people and risk further pandemics, researchers have warned.

Why Doctors Are Prescribing Nature Walks

In early April 2022, about two dozen children and their families gathered beneath the redwoods in a regional park near Oakland, Calif.

Why does biodiversity matter to human health and economic well-being?

There is significant evidence to show how biodiversity positively impacts health and economic security. Conservation can no longer be put on the back burner.

Age of traditional medicine will start with establishment of WHO centre in Jamnagar, says PM Modi

That is the reason why the world is searching for new avenues of healthcare delivery, said Modi.Referring to ancient scriptures, he said Ayurveda and other Indian traditional medicine systems were not limited to only treatment, as they are considered as holistic sciences.

Plants hold key to developing future cancer treatments

Cancer care relies on complex therapies involving radioactive materials and sophisticated drugs and has come far from past remedies based on plants and herbs. However, scientists warn there is still a need to understand the botanical roots of tumour treatments – to maintain new sources of drugs ...

Bringing public health to forefront

The importance of forging robust linkages to ensure the health of people and the planet was highlighted in a recent statement by Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Dr Theresa Mundita S Lim.

World Health Day

7 April 2022, Geneva, Switzerland

Zoos hiding birds as avian flu spreads in North America

Zoos across North America are moving their birds indoors and away from people and wildlife as they try to protect them from the highly contagious and potentially deadly avian influenza.

Statement by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity on the occasion of World Health Day

Statement by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity on the occasion of World Health Day

Germany announces 50 mn euros for new nature for health fund

The German Federal Ministry for Environment and Nature Conservation, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) on Thursday jointly announced the establishment of a Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) on nature for health.

50 million Euros to seed new Nature for Health Trust Fund for Pandemic Prevention

Nairobi, 3 March 2022 – The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and onsumer Protection (BMUV), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) today jointly announced the establishment of a Mul ...

50 million Euros to seed new Nature for Health Trust Fund for Pandemic Prevention

An Ecopsychologist On How To Connect To Nature From Anywhere (Even Indoors)

I was born and raised in Suriname, the most forest-covered nation in the world, with 98% tree cover. "Nature Deficit Disorder"—a term that author Richard Louv coined to describe how being disconnected from nature can harm health—was not something I needed to worry about growing up.

How Climate Change Affects Our Brains

When I was a little girl, my favorite thing to do was to listen to my grandmother’s stories. During mealtimes, we would all sit at the dining table, and I would beg my grandmother to tell me memories from her childhood in Istanbul, Turkey, where I was born and raised.

Feeling ill? Take two hours of nature and call us in the morning

THE WORST PART about living in the largest city in the U.S. is that it often feels like there are more buildings, people, and trash piles than there are trees. But every once in a while, I make the subway journey to the beach or a big park to remind myself that I’m alive and there are green spaces.

‘I forget everything’: the benefits of nature for mental health

During Covid lockdowns, Sharon Powell felt alone. She was caring for her father, 90, who was deteriorating from Parkinson’s disease and dementia, and looking after him had become increasingly difficult.

A possible COVID-19 silver lining for great ape conservation

Respiratory illness outbreaks among wild mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park have declined since the start of COVID-19, according to a Correspondence report in the journal Nature from Gorilla Doctors and the Rwanda Development Board.

Health Canada releases assessment report on effects of climate change on health

The price of climate change is real. This crisis has already taken lives in extreme heat waves, and is increasing risks to Canadians from flooding, and from respiratory illnesses like asthma.

Canadian Doctors Can Now Prescribe ‘Spending Time in Nature’ for Patients’ Mental Health

Not all doctors recommend just bed-rest, or time-off from work, or pills. Some can even write you prescriptions to go visit parks and spend time in nature. Well, at least, doctors in Canada are doing that.

One Health approach to prevent emergence of zoonotic pathogens

In light of the continuing threats to public health posed by the emergence of diseases and new COVID-19 variants, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are looking to strengthen capacities in mainstreaming biodiversity into health frameworks and systems.

When nature nurtures

I spent this break wandering through the Shenandoah National Park, irresponsibly lost at points. With root systems and fungi speaking deep under the earth and leafless canopies suspended overhead, the woods enveloped me on all sides. I felt more at peace than I had in months. In nature, I feel a ...

‘It’s mind-boggling’: the hidden cost of our obsession with fish oil pills

Scanning the shelves and internet for fish oil is a dizzying task. There are dozens of brands available and, although the typical consideration for the popular supplement is that quality matters most, it is not the only factor.

Decline of biodiversity, health of Indigenous peoples interconnected

When Danika Littlechild was growing up in Maskwacis, Alta., her uncle would pick her up after school and walk her home through the bush to her kôhkom’s (grandmother’s) house. He would show her different plants and fungi along the way, teaching her their names and telling stories about when to ha ...

Why protecting the planet is essential to preventing future pandemics

Almost two years since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, scientific breakthroughs powered by international collaboration have helped us create vaccines and other treatments that can help tackle the health crisis. But our broken relationship with the natural world continues to make us vulnerabl ...

Covid: Viral photo highlights challenges of vaccinating Amazon

A photo of an indigenous man carrying his father on his back to take a Covid-19 vaccine in the Brazilian Amazon has gone viral, and became a symbol of the complicated vaccination logistics in one of the world's most remote areas.

COVID fallout hit farmers hard, and they need better mental health support

A farmer's lot is not an easy one. A difficult and demanding way of life, farming involves a huge range of challenges and stresses—among them isolation, climate change, and disease outbreaks in crops and livestock.

Tourist selfies risk passing deadly viruses onto critically endangered orangutans

COVID-19 not only affects humans; our closest relatives, the great apes, are also at risk. A team of experts, including Oxford Brookes University researchers say that jungle trekkers could be risking the lives of Critically Endangered species of orangutans, by passing on human viruses like COVID-19.

Woodlands’ Boost to Mental Health Saves NHS and Employers Millions Each Year

More physical exercise and ‘forest bathing’ contribute to boost in wellbeing of the population

https://english.lokmat.com/national/need-to-strengthen-pandemic-prevention-wildlife-conservation-society/

https://english.lokmat.com/national/need-to-strengthen-pandemic-prevention-wildlife-conservation-society/

A study reveals the presence of murine coronavirus in Canary Islands mice population

A study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science reveals the presence of murine coronavirus—the murine hepatitis virus or M-CoV—in mice of the Canary archipelago (Spain) that could have reached the islands by maritime transport from the European continent. This is the first ecoepidemiologica ...

Adoption of a robust approach to minimize disease transmission between humans and wild animals

The threat of disease transmission from conservationists moving wild animals between habitats or back into the wild needs to be urgently assessed to minimize risk. Experts at the University of Birmingham are calling on local and national health authorities and wildlife managers to adopt a robust ...

The health impact of the global meat trade

The authors of a new study, which appears in BMJ Global Health, point out that producing red meat for export has environmental costs in terms of lost habitats and biodiversity and harms consumers’ health.

Holistic approach needed to tackle the impact of climate change on mental health

Dr Lawrance said: “Climate change and biodiversity loss are linked to poor mental and physical health. Wildfires, floods and heatwaves have resulted in people losing homes, higher hospital attendance and new cases of mental illness. To turn this around we need to start looking at this issue ho ...

Anthropogenesis and COVID-19

The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS–COV-2) virus in Wuhan, China, in 2019 and the subsequent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been linked to the anthropogenic biodiversity crisis and climate change.

Tough lesson delivered on biodiversity

Pandemic must force reassessment on how we treat planet, experts say.The pandemic should serve as a wake-up call for humanity to reexamine our relationship with nature and, in doing so, drive home the importance of efforts to conserve biodiversity around the planet, experts said.

Kambo, a lethal frog mucous used in shamanic rituals, banned by TGA after reports of deaths

A deadly frog mucous used in shamanic rituals in Australia has been banned by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. In “Kambo” ceremonies, a participant’s skin is burned and scraped and the secretions of the South American giant leaf frog (or giant monkey frog) is rubbed into the wound. There is ...

Why can’t we live healthier lives to save ourselves and the planet?

Imagine if there was a pill you could take that would extend your healthy, active life span by 10 years, with the side effects of reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Would you take it?

Act responsibly on climate emergency to protect public health, editors urge leaders

The editors of over 200 medical journals have published a joint statement where they have called upon global leaders to take action on the climate emergency and protect public health.

32nd Session Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC) - FAO

6 - 10 September 2021, TBD

Climate change adaptation brings health co-benefits

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased attention on links between public health and the planet's health—areas traditionally addressed in separate science and policy circles. Now, an international research collaboration conducted the first comprehensive review of urban climate change responses and p ...

Parks are about promoting everyone's public health, not just boosting homeowners' property value

The COVID-19 pandemic put a lot of attention on the role of parks and green spaces —particularly in large cities. But, not all of this attention has been positive.

In Brazil’s Acre, smoke from fires threatens health, could worsen COVID-19

The spread of fires in a Brazilian state that’s still mostly swathed in Amazon rainforest is raising alarms about risks to public health, compounding what’s already one of the worst burdens of COVID-19 infections and deaths in the world..

Why spending more time in nature could reduce ‘germaphobia’

Imagine for a moment that you had microscopic vision. You would see an entirely different world within the world we currently perceive: a diverse, bustling metropolis full of activity.

Zoonoses: Preserving biodiversity is the key

This week marked an importance observance which went overlooked by large swathes of the media, including this publication. World Zoonoses Day took place on July 6th, coinciding with the anniversary of the first rabies vaccine administered by French biologist Dr Louis Pasteur in 1885.

A Better Understanding of "Wet Markets" is Key to Safeguarding Human Health, Biodiversity (IMAGE)

Great uncertainty surrounds the origins of SARS-CoV-2. Early on, some suggested a link between COVID-19 and a seafood market in Wuhan, China. Other theories are now circulating, though the origins of the virus are still unknown.

Health effects of the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo will be felt for a long time

The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, an active volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), led to the deaths of at least 30 people. There could however be longer term health implications for residents of the area.

Declining biodiversity in wild Amazon fisheries threatens human diet: Study

According to a study, the people in the Peruvian Amazon could suffer major nutritional shortages if ongoing losses in fish biodiversity continue

Oil palm plantations a ‘threat to global health,’ reports study on outbreaks

From Ebola in Africa to malaria in Brazil to tick-borne illnesses in the US, there is a common thread linking outbreaks of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases: fluctuating forest cover, according to a recent study.

Medics march to WHO headquarters in climate campaign

Medics concerned about the effects on public health of environmental degradation marched on the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva on Saturday (March 29), demanding health authorities make climate change and biodiversity loss their top priorities.

Loss of biodiversity, nature threaten human health, WWF says

The human effects on nature and biodiversity become irrefutable and, more importantly, irreversible day by day as nations continue down the route of inaction. This brings up the possibility of serious peril not only to the world's economies but also to the health of human beings, according to an ...

Nature and biodiversity play a vital role in protecting human health

Urbanization, land use, global trade and industrialization have led to profound and negative impacts on nature, biodiversity and ecosystems across the world.

Scientists propose global plan to save oceans for human health

An interdisciplinary European collaboration called the Seas Oceans and Public Health in Europe (SOPHIE) Project has put forward a global plan to save the oceans for the sake of human health.

Trees are good for human health in one strange,unexpected way

ON YOUR NEXT VISIT TO THE PARK, try and count all the different species you can see. Away from the closely mown grass, you might spot wildflowers attended by pollinating insects, like bees, wasps, and hoverflies. Overhead there are the gnarled branches of mature trees, some of which will have li ...

To keep tabs on ecosystem health in Borneo, follow these birds: Study

To improve ecosystem management in Borneo, look at the population trends of key bird species on the island, researchers say.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is spreading from people to chimpanzees

Nearly half of fecal samples from wild chimpanzees contain bacteria that is resistant to a major class of antibiotics people commonly use in the vicinity of Gombe National Park in Tanzania, according to new research

Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Risk Assessment (JEMRA)

10 - 14 May 2021, Rome, Italy

New tool offers personalized, low environmental impact, healthy diet specific to country and season

To improve our own health and the health of our planet, dietary habits will need to change. Because the composition of an optimal diet changes depending on the combination of location, season, and personalized dietary needs, investigators have built a tool that uses an extensive database of food ...

'Like bees, wasps 'valuable' for ecosystems, human health

Wasps deserve to be just as highly valued as other insects, like bees, due to their roles as predators, pollinators, and more, according to a new review paper led by UCL and University of East Anglia researchers.

Nature 'more important than ever during lockdown'

Data has confirmed what many suspected: nature and green spaces have been a big comfort during lockdown. More than 40% of people say nature, wildlife and visiting local green spaces have been even more important to their wellbeing since the coronavirus restrictions began.

Could A Lack Of Respect For Mother Nature Cause The Next Pandemic?

The destruction of other species’ natural habitats could see the next COVID-like infectious disease span the globe. his is one of the reasons why we signed the Terra Carta – HRH The Prince of Wales’s biodiversity plan to harness “the irreplaceable power of nature”.

Why insects are a protein-rich 'superfood'

Insects are a nutrition-dense source of protein embraced by much of the world. Why are some of us so squeamish about eating them?

Fires ravage forests in Himalayas, threatening health and biodiversity

Wildfires described as ‘the worst in a decade’ have engulfed Himalayan mountain states in a thick haze and killed at least eight people in the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Seven were killed neighbouring Nepal, where wildfires raged across several districts and forced a four ...

How Biodiversity Can Prevent Pandemics

For years, some scientists have argued that despite its benefits, biodiversity poses a major risk to human health, because the sheer variety of species in biodiverse landscapes creates greater opportunities for new pathogens to develop.

Celebrating Global Unity for a COVID-19 Recovery on World Health Day with Art Shows

Celebrated each year on April 7, the theme of the World Health Day this year is building a fairer, healthier world for everyone while recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statement by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity on the occasion of World Health Day: "Building A Fairer, Healthier World"

Statement by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity on the occasion of World Health Day: "Building A Fairer, Healthier World"

Saving biodiversity: why our mental and physical health depends on it

During the COVID-19 lockdowns, more of us are noticing the variety of animals, trees, and flowers in our back gardens or local park - and how being in contact with nature can influence our happiness.

World Health Day: Investing in nature is investing in people’s health

The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) joins the global community in celebrating World Health Day today. The theme “Building a fairer, healthier world” is a fitting reminder that health is the foundation of economic recovery and prosperity, and achieving this would require appropriate investmen ...

Protecting the planet can prevent pandemics

With COVID-19 vaccines becoming more available, we can breathe a small sigh of relief -- through our masks! But we can't get complacent. This pandemic isn't over. And if we're not careful, others could be on the horizon.

A diversity of wildlife is good for our health

A growing body of evidence suggests that biodiversity loss increases our exposure to both new and established zoonotic pathogens. Restoring and protecting nature is essential to preventing future pandemics.

New WHO-IUCN Expert Working Group on Biodiversity, Climate, One Health and Nature-based Solutions

Leading experts engaged in the science-policy interface of public health, biodiversity, and climate change will collaborate in an innovative initiative led by the WHO and IUCN to help guide decision makers toward a healthier, greener and more sustainable future as they navigate the challenges of ...

Can low meat consumption be the key to a thriving — and circular — food system?

As we surpass the first anniversary of COVID-19 and the impacts of extended lockdowns, the need for systemic change has become more apparent than ever. This necessary shift must not be overlooked in the agrifood sector; our global food systems require a radical reworking more than ever before, f ...

Biodiversity is positively related to mental health

The higher the number of plant and bird species in a region, the healthier the people who live there. This was found by a new study published in Landscape and Urban Planning and led by the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Resear ...

WHO Covid-19 report shows clear link between biodiversity loss and zoonotic disease – Greenpeace reaction

In its official report on SARS-CoV-2’s origins the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed to the potential disease risks of contact between wildlife and people, showing the life-threatening risk of natural ecosystem destruction, which is breaking down the buffer zone scientists say protects us ...

Stakeholder Open Webinar – Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems Transition and Nature: Linkages to the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

23 March 2021, Online

Environment: A natural remedy for mental ill-health

The natural environment is one of the key determinants concerning mental health. In past years, research has increasingly highlighted the interplay between both. Given the overwhelming evidence of nature’s positive impact on mental wellbeing, tackling environmental degradation can offer win-win ...

Inaction leaves world playing ‘Russian roulette’ with pandemics, say experts

Governments must fill a major gap in post-Covid recovery plans with action on the root cause of pandemics – the destruction of nature – a new coalition of health and environment groups has warned.