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15.1 Introduction
Attention to the importance of nature and human health linkages has increased in
the past ten years, both in science and in policy. This relates to health benefits from
nature-based health-care solutions, such as reducing stress, improving children’s
immune systems, and reducing the impact from environmental pollution or climate
change. This also relates to health risks, such as pollen allergies or infectious
diseases transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes. While knowledge about and
recognition of the importance of nature and human health linkages are increasing
rapidly, challenges still remain. Among them are building bridges between relevant,
but often still rather disconnected, sectors and topics. There is a need to connect
researchers in the fields of health sciences, ecology, social sciences, sustainability
sciences and other interdisciplinary sciences, as well as for cooperation with
governments, companies and citizens. This need is expressed by both health and
nature sectors, and is considered crucial by many for facilitating integrated and
practice-oriented approaches. In this chapter, we introduce European networking
initiatives aimed at building such bridges.
The comprehensive State of Knowledge Review Report on Biodiversity and
Human Health (WHO and CBD Secretariat 2015) opens with a double and mutually
reinforcing message on cooperation: one from the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) Secretariat that “all sectors, policymakers, scientists, educators,
communities and citizens alike can – and must – contribute to the development of
common solutions to the common threats that we face”. The other message is from
the World Health Organization (WHO), acknowledging the WHO’s awareness of
the growing body of evidence that biodiversity loss is a risk to human health, stating
“protecting public health from these risks lies outside of the traditional roles of the
health sector” and that “it relies on working with partners engaged in conservation,
and the sustainable use and management of natural resources”.
In December 2017, the CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and
Technological Advice (SBSTTA) stated recommendations for health and biodiversity at its 21st meeting. It concluded with formally recommending promoting
dialogue among ministries and agencies responsible for, among others, the sectors
involved with health, environment, pollution, agriculture, urban planning, climate
change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in order to foster integrated approaches.
In 2018 this was accorded by the member states of CBD (CBD 2018).
In 2017, an expert consultation took place in the context of the Regional
Assessment for Europe and Central Asia for the intergovernmental science-policy
Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES 2018). The expert panel
included people with a wide range of expertise linked to biodiversity in Europe,
such as food and nutrition, medicinal resources and infectious disease. The panel
was, among other things, asked to assign importance to a number of possible key
messages for policy makers regarding the nature-health theme. Survey results
revealed that 97% of the expert panel considered ‘integrated approaches to nature
and health both in and between science, policy and practice’ very important in such
15 European Nature and Health Network Initiatives
15.1 Introduction
Attention to the importance of nature and human health linkages has increased in
the past ten years, both in science and in policy. This relates to health benefits from
nature-based health-care solutions, such as reducing stress, improving children’s
immune systems, and reducing the impact from environmental pollution or climate
change. This also relates to health risks, such as pollen allergies or infectious
diseases transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes. While knowledge about and
recognition of the importance of nature and human health linkages are increasing
rapidly, challenges still remain. Among them are building bridges between relevant,
but often still rather disconnected, sectors and topics. There is a need to connect
researchers in the fields of health sciences, ecology, social sciences, sustainability
sciences and other interdisciplinary sciences, as well as for cooperation with
governments, companies and citizens. This need is expressed by both health and
nature sectors, and is considered crucial by many for facilitating integrated and
practice-oriented approaches. In this chapter, we introduce European networking
initiatives aimed at building such bridges.
The comprehensive State of Knowledge Review Report on Biodiversity and
Human Health (WHO and CBD Secretariat 2015) opens with a double and mutually
reinforcing message on cooperation: one from the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) Secretariat that “all sectors, policymakers, scientists, educators,
communities and citizens alike can – and must – contribute to the development of
common solutions to the common threats that we face”. The other message is from
the World Health Organization (WHO), acknowledging the WHO’s awareness of
the growing body of evidence that biodiversity loss is a risk to human health, stating
“protecting public health from these risks lies outside of the traditional roles of the
health sector” and that “it relies on working with partners engaged in conservation,
and the sustainable use and management of natural resources”.
In December 2017, the CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and
Technological Advice (SBSTTA) stated recommendations for health and biodiversity at its 21st meeting. It concluded with formally recommending promoting
dialogue among ministries and agencies responsible for, among others, the sectors
involved with health, environment, pollution, agriculture, urban planning, climate
change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in order to foster integrated approaches.
In 2018 this was accorded by the member states of CBD (CBD 2018).
In 2017, an expert consultation took place in the context of the Regional
Assessment for Europe and Central Asia for the intergovernmental science-policy
Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES 2018). The expert panel
included people with a wide range of expertise linked to biodiversity in Europe,
such as food and nutrition, medicinal resources and infectious disease. The panel
was, among other things, asked to assign importance to a number of possible key
messages for policy makers regarding the nature-health theme. Survey results
revealed that 97% of the expert panel considered ‘integrated approaches to nature
and health both in and between science, policy and practice’ very important in such
15 European Nature and Health Network Initiatives