8.1 Protection of nature, biodiversity and ecosystems for health

General: Policies and actions

 

1.

Guidance:

Implement and update NBSAPs in line with the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Environment, other sectors

 

Level of implementation:

National

 

Instruments:

Governance

 

ICHI code:

UBP.TB.ZZ

Planning for biological diversity

 

2.

Guidance:

Incorporate biodiversity values, ecosystem protection and the “value of nature” into national and regional policies, strategies and programmes, including in public health policies and in national accounting and reporting systems (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, other sectors

 

Level of implementation:

National

 

Instruments:

Governance

 

ICHI code:

UBP.WJ.ZZ

Policy change in relation to biological diversity

 

3.

Guidance:

Eliminate or reform incentives, including subsidies that are harmful to biodiversity, including those that promote monoculture production systems (7, 8).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Industry, other sectors

 

Level of implementation:

National

 

Instruments:

Taxes and subsidies

 

ICHI code:

UBP.WG.ZZ

Applying incentives in relation to biological diversity

 

4.

Guidance:

Implement integrated public health and biodiversity-related interventions for the management of both short- and long- term health risks resulting from biodiversity loss and unsustainable practices (2). Selected examples include (9):

·       integrating biodiverse green spaces in urban development;

·       improving availability of and accessibility to diverse diets;

·       tightening control and rationalizing use of antimicrobial agents, pesticides and other biocides;

·       ecosystem-based adaptation, ecosystem-based mitigation and ecosystem-based approaches to disaster risk reduction;

·       maximizing the health benefits of exposure to biodiverse environments;

·       implementing policies and programmes in line with the One Health approach (human, animal, plant, ecosystem health) (10).

                                                                                                                                            

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, environment

 

Level of implementation:

National, community

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Regulation, other management and control

 

ICHI code:

UBP.WJ.ZZ

Policy change in relation to biological diversity

 

5.

Guidance:

Implement integrated environment and health surveillance to support timely and evidence-based decisions for the effective identification and management of short and long-term risks to human health posed by ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, environment

 

Level of implementation:

National, community

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Assessment and surveillance

 

ICHI code:

UBP.VC.ZZ

Public health surveillance in relation to biological diversity

 

6.

Guidance:

Ensure sufficient financial resources to effectively protect nature and preserve biodiversity and ecosystems (6).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Finance, environment, health

 

Level of implementation:

National

 

Instruments:

Governance

 

ICHI code:

UBP.VA.ZZ

Capacity building in relation to biological diversity

 

7.

Guidance:

Implement preventive and precautionary strategies and policies and safe minimum standards for sustainably managing ecosystems and for valuing ecosystem services for health (2).

Examples include considerations of the purposeful introduction of invasive alien species, avoidance of high-density monocultures, human activity/settlement adjacent to biodiverse ecosystems, integrated disease surveillance in wildlife, livestock and human populations, ecosystem-based approaches for climate change mitigation and adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Environment, health

 

Level of implementation:

National

 

Instruments:

Regulation, other management and control

 

ICHI code:

UBP.WI.ZZ

Restrictions through laws or standards in relation to biological diversity

 

8.

Guidance:

Strengthen international and regional partnerships, joint work programmes and intersectoral collaboration on biodiversity–health linkages (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Environment, health

 

Level of implementation:

National

 

Instruments:

Governance

 

ICHI code:

UBP.TD.ZZ

Collaborating in relation to biological diversity

 

9.

Guidance:

Adopt integrated approaches to health, such as One Health, Ecohealth and Planetary Health, which promote cross- disciplinary and/or cross-sectoral collaborations for health and biodiversity (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health

 

Level of implementation:

National

 

Instruments:

Governance, other management and control

 

ICHI code:

UBP.TD.ZZ

Collaborating in relation to biological diversity

 

Ecosystems: policies and actions

 

10.

Guidance:

Avoid ecosystem loss and degradation and promote ecosystem integrity and resilience and protection of species (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Environment

 

Level of implementation:

National, community

 

Instruments:

Other management and control

 

ICHI code:

UBP.VL.ZZ

Environmental remediation in relation to biological diversity

 

11.

Guidance:

Reduce the adverse impact on biodiversity and ecosystems from land- use change, loss of natural habitats, overexploitation of nature such as of marine ecosystems, environmental chemical pollution, invasive alien species and climate change (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Land use planning, environment, industry, other sectors

 

Level of implementation:

National, community

 

Instruments:

Other management and control

 

ICHI code:

UBP.TD.ZZ&UBG

Collaborating in relation to biological diversity

Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified

+

UBP.TD.ZZ&UAN

Collaborating in relation to biological diversity

Products and technology of land development

 

12.

Guidance:

Protect and conserve genetic resources (2).

                                         

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Agriculture, environment

 

Level of implementation:

National, community

 

Instruments:

Regulation, other management and control

 

ICHI code:

UBP.WI.ZZ

Restrictions through laws or standards in relation to biological diversity

+

UBP.WB.ZZ

Restrictions on movement of people or animals in relation to biological diversity

 

Medicine and disease: policies and actions

 

13.

Guidance:

Recognize contribution of genetic resources and traditional knowledge to medicine (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health

 

Level of implementation:

Health care

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

 

ICHI code:

UBP.PM.ZZ

Education in relation to biological diversity

 

14.

Guidance:

Ensure benefit-sharing arising out of the utilization of genetic resources (2, 11).

Benefits derived from the use of genetic resources may include the sharing of the results of research and development carried out on genetic resources, the transfer of technologies which make use of those resources, and participation in biotechnological research activities. Benefits may also be monetary when products based on genetic resources are commercialized.

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Industry, agriculture

 

Level of implementation:

National

 

Instruments:

Regulation

 

ICHI code:

UBP.TD.ZZ&PYA

Collaborating in relation to biological diversity

Genome

 

15.

Guidance:

Limit unnecessary use of antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health

 

Level of implementation:

Health care, national

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Regulation

 

ICHI code:

UBP.WF.ZZ#CPC Class 352

Restrictions on the consumption or use of products or services in relation to biological diversity

Pharmaceutical products

 

16.

Guidance:

Limit or control human–wildlife contact to reduce the risk of infectious diseases, including zoonotic and vector-borne diseases (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Agriculture, forestry, environment, health

 

Level of implementation:

Workplace, national, community

 

Instruments:

Regulation

 

ICHI code:

UBP.WB.ZZ&UBQ

Restrictions on movement of people or animals in relation to biological diversity

Animals as vectors of disease

 

Awareness raising and capacity building

 

17.

Guidance:

Strengthen core national capacities that enable health systems to prepare for and effectively respond to public health threats resulting from ecosystem degradation (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, environment

 

Level of implementation:

National

 

Instruments:

Governance

 

ICHI code:

UBP.VA.ZZ&UEP

Capacity building in relation to biological diversity

Health services, systems and policies

 

18.

Guidance:

Raise awareness about the health benefits of biodiversity and ecosystem protection (2).

Examples include the positive impacts of biodiversity on:

a.      food security and nutrition

b.      water supply and other essential ecosystem services

c.      pharmaceuticals and traditional medicines

d.      mental health and physical and cultural well-being.

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, environment

 

Level of implementation:

National, community

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

 

ICHI code:

UBP.VB.ZZ

Awareness raising in relation to biological diversity

 

19.

Guidance:

Develop education programmes and training on the importance of health– biodiversity linkages at various levels and the sustainable management of ecosystems for professionals in the health and biodiversity sectors as well as for the public (2).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, environment

 

Level of implementation:

Health care, national, community

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

 

ICHI code:

UBP.PM.ZZ

Education in relation to biological diversity

 

20.

Guidance:

Promote lifestyles that contribute to positive health and biodiversity outcomes (2).

Interventions that promote sustainable healthy diets (section 10.2 Healthy diets and the environment) and safe and sustainable mobility (section 9.2 Environments for safe and sustainable transport, active mobility and physical activity) are presented elsewhere in the compendium.

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, environment

 

Level of implementation:

National, community

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

 

ICHI code:

UBP.VB.ZZ&VE1

Awareness raising in relation to biological diversity

Lifestyle behaviours

 

Selected tools

·       WHO/Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity/UNEP 2015:

Connecting global priorities: biodiversity and human health: a state of knowledge review (2)

This review synthesizes the available information on the most important interlinkages between biodiversity, ecosystem stability, nutritional diversity and health.

·       Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat 2013: Quick guides for the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (6)

These guides provide resources, tools and indicators for each target.

·       Hesselink et al. 2007: The Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) programme of the Convention on Biological Diversity provides a toolkit for national focal points and coordinators of NBSAPs (12).

·       The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) provides guidance to policymakers for mainstreaming the values of biodiversity and ecosystem services into decision-making at all levels (13).

·       UNEP 2012: Global environment outlook 5 (14)

·       UNEP 2019: Global environment outlook 6 (15)

·       Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services 2019: Global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (3)

·       WHO 2020: Guidance on mainstreaming biodiversity for nutrition and health (8)