262
2018). For more on the effect of greenspace on children’s health, see Dadvand et al.
Chap 6, this volume. Chen and Janke (2012) reported that older people who garden
suffer from fewer falls, possibly due to improved gait and balance.
11.3 The Role of Public Health in Lobbying for Protecting
Biodiversity
Human societies increasingly place species and natural habitats (especially biodiverse habitats) under considerable pressure (Lawton et al. 2010). Threats to biodiversity include urbanisation, intensive agriculture, increased pollution and impacts
of climate change. Whilst the first three threats can be managed locally, regionally
or nationally, climate change requires international cooperation. The role and
responsibility of public health experts to campaign on climate change and other
threats to biodiversity are given forcefully in the 2015 Lancet Commission on
Health and Climate Change (Watts et al. 2015). It has become vital for health departments of governments not to operate in isolation; health professionals need to ensure
that climate-health-related considerations are integrated into government-wide
strategies. One example of cross-governmental working can be seen in the recent
UK Environment Strategy, in which health features as a major section (DEFRA
2018). In addition to averting biodiversity loss (e.g. preventing deforestation),
climate- related topics requiring cross-governmental thinking also impact directly
on public health (e.g. phasing out coal as an energy source will protect cardiovascular and respiratory health). Initiatives to support lifestyles that are healthy for both
humans and the environment will also help to provide resilience in the face of the
health risks posed by climate change. See Keune et al. Chap 15, this volume, for further information on international and national nature-health initiatives.
Public health professionals need to ensure investment in health systems that can
respond to climate change-induced threats to human health. For example, urban
flooding can be a significant risk to human health both directly (through the risk of
drowning) and through exposure to pathogenic microbes (Jørgensen et al. 2016).
Similarly, changes in extreme temperatures in cities (including in Europe) are contributing to significant increases in heat-related mortality levels (Mitchell et al.
2016). Drought conditions can also exacerbate risks to health, for example, from
microorganisms in the plumes from cooling towers (Pagnier et al. 2009), since
water drawn from rivers containing municipal waste may become more concentrated during droughts.
The appropriate policy for maintaining and developing greenspaces of appropriate size and accessibility for public health has long been debated. In 1929, for
London (UK), Unwin recommended 7 acres (2.83 ha) of greenspace be allocated
per 1,000 people as playing fields (first report of the Greater London Regional
Planning Committee in 1933, cited by Turner 1992). Later work for English Nature
recommended an Accessible Natural Greenspace Standards model with (inter alia)
at least 2 ha of natural greenspace within 300 m of all residents and at least 2 ha of
Local Nature Reserve per 1,000 people (Harrison et al. 1995). It was recognised that
P. A. Cook et al.
2018). For more on the effect of greenspace on children’s health, see Dadvand et al.
Chap 6, this volume. Chen and Janke (2012) reported that older people who garden
suffer from fewer falls, possibly due to improved gait and balance.
11.3 The Role of Public Health in Lobbying for Protecting
Biodiversity
Human societies increasingly place species and natural habitats (especially biodiverse habitats) under considerable pressure (Lawton et al. 2010). Threats to biodiversity include urbanisation, intensive agriculture, increased pollution and impacts
of climate change. Whilst the first three threats can be managed locally, regionally
or nationally, climate change requires international cooperation. The role and
responsibility of public health experts to campaign on climate change and other
threats to biodiversity are given forcefully in the 2015 Lancet Commission on
Health and Climate Change (Watts et al. 2015). It has become vital for health departments of governments not to operate in isolation; health professionals need to ensure
that climate-health-related considerations are integrated into government-wide
strategies. One example of cross-governmental working can be seen in the recent
UK Environment Strategy, in which health features as a major section (DEFRA
2018). In addition to averting biodiversity loss (e.g. preventing deforestation),
climate- related topics requiring cross-governmental thinking also impact directly
on public health (e.g. phasing out coal as an energy source will protect cardiovascular and respiratory health). Initiatives to support lifestyles that are healthy for both
humans and the environment will also help to provide resilience in the face of the
health risks posed by climate change. See Keune et al. Chap 15, this volume, for further information on international and national nature-health initiatives.
Public health professionals need to ensure investment in health systems that can
respond to climate change-induced threats to human health. For example, urban
flooding can be a significant risk to human health both directly (through the risk of
drowning) and through exposure to pathogenic microbes (Jørgensen et al. 2016).
Similarly, changes in extreme temperatures in cities (including in Europe) are contributing to significant increases in heat-related mortality levels (Mitchell et al.
2016). Drought conditions can also exacerbate risks to health, for example, from
microorganisms in the plumes from cooling towers (Pagnier et al. 2009), since
water drawn from rivers containing municipal waste may become more concentrated during droughts.
The appropriate policy for maintaining and developing greenspaces of appropriate size and accessibility for public health has long been debated. In 1929, for
London (UK), Unwin recommended 7 acres (2.83 ha) of greenspace be allocated
per 1,000 people as playing fields (first report of the Greater London Regional
Planning Committee in 1933, cited by Turner 1992). Later work for English Nature
recommended an Accessible Natural Greenspace Standards model with (inter alia)
at least 2 ha of natural greenspace within 300 m of all residents and at least 2 ha of
Local Nature Reserve per 1,000 people (Harrison et al. 1995). It was recognised that
P. A. Cook et al.