Health Aspects of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Health Aspects of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
复制标题
千年生态系统评估的健康方面
作者：
S. Hales;C. Butler;A. Woodward;C. Corvalan
生物多样性支撑着人类赖以生存的生态系统的复原力。由于对生产性生态系统的过度开发和其他因素，生物多样性正在以前所未有的速度丧失。这威胁到重要的生态系统服务，包括粮食生产、淡水、养分循环、废物处理、燃料和纤维、洪水和风暴防护以及气候稳定（Vitousek等人，1997年）。千年生态系统评估旨在为维持生态系统提供知识基础，同时满足人类的需要。这一雄心勃勃的目标含蓄地强调生态管理，同时认识到社会系统和生态系统是密不可分的。与生态可持续性有关的公共卫生政策的范围难以界定。那么，人类健康在千年评估中是如何体现的呢？要了解生态系统变化对健康的潜在影响，需要考虑两个方面：所考虑的人口当前的脆弱性及其未来的适应能力（图1）。这两者密切相关，因为弱势群体规划和实施适应性应对措施的能力较差。脆弱性和适应能力也与福祉的其他方面（物质最低限度、自由和选择、良好的社会关系和安全）有关。生态系统变化与人类健康之间的联系以及人类适应能力的限制在贫困社区中表现得最为明显，这些社区缺乏富人能负担得起的“缓冲”。贫穷社区也最明显地直接依赖于生产性生态系统。物质匮乏是健康以及福祉其他方面的一个重要决定因素。无论是在国家层面还是在国家内部，较贫穷的社区通常都不如较富裕的社区健康（尽管有一些明显的例外）。在全球一级，较贫穷的国家仍在与缺乏清洁水和卫生设施等危害作斗争，这些危害在很大程度上造成了它们的疾病负担。这篇文章表达的观点是作者的观点，并不一定反映世界卫生组织的立场。通讯：Simon Hales， e-mail: simon.hales@anu.edu.au EcoHealth 1,124 - 128, 2004 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-004-0085-7
Biodiversity underpins the resilience of the ecosystems on which humanity depends. Loss of biodiversity is occurring at an unprecedented rate, driven by over-exploitation of productive ecosystems and other factors. This threatens vital ecosystem services, including food production, fresh water, nutrient cycling, waste processing, fuel and fiber, flood and storm protection, and climate stability (Vitousek et al., 1997). The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) is intended to provide a knowledge base for sustaining ecological systems, while providing for human needs. This ambitious goal has an implicit emphasis on ecological management, while recognizing that social and ecological systems are inextricably linked. The scope of public health policy in relation to ecological sustainability is difficult to define. How, then, does human health feature in the MA? To understand the potential health impacts of ecosystem change, two aspects need to be considered: the current vulnerability of the population under consideration and its future adaptive capacity (Fig. 1). These two are closely related, since vulnerable populations are less able to plan and implement adaptive responses. Vulnerability and adaptive capacity are also tied to the other aspects of well-being (material minimum, freedom and choice, good social relations, and security). The links between ecosystem change and human health—and the limits to human adaptive capacity—are seen most clearly among impoverished communities, which lack the ‘‘buffers’’ that the rich can afford. Poor communities are also the most obviously directly dependent upon productive ecosystems. Material lack is a strong determinant of health as well as other aspects of well-being. Both at the country level and within countries, poorer communities are usually less healthy than richer ones (though with some notable exceptions). At the global level, poorer countries are still battling hazards such as lack of clean water and sanitation, which contribute considerably to their burden of disease. Published online: May 3, 2004 The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the World Health Organization. Correspondence to: Simon Hales, e-mail: simon.hales@anu.edu.au EcoHealth 1, 124–128, 2004 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-004-0085-7