Health Impact of Biodiversity and Natural Heritage Changes - Entorn Urbà i Salut

Canvi climàtic

Climate change

Health Impact of Biodiversity and Natural Heritage Changes

RISKS DESCRIPTION

Climate change and global change have various adverse effects on biodiversity and natural heritage that may reduce the benefits of nature on people’s wellbeing and, consequently, have an unfavourable impact on their health.

Biodiversity is a guarantee of wellbeing and balance in the biosphere: it regulates flows of energy and matter, it stabilises soil, it plays a key role in atmospheric and climate processes and provides resources for life. A system with a high level of biodiversity has a higher probability of adapting to future changes and therefore greater resilience.

HEALH EFFECTS

The configuration and ecosystem functions of the natural environment in the future are somewhat uncertain due to the difficulties of determining how they will be affected by climate change. Health linked to changes in biodiversity and the natural environment will vary in accordance with the state of the natural environment.

Traditionally, the natural environment and biodiversity were considered to be hazardous to health due to falls, allergies and problems caused by fauna (indigenous or alien): attacks, bites, insect stings (with their associated diseases), traffic accidents, etc. In addition to these disadvantages, research is currently being conducted that sheds light on the notable positive influence of the natural environment on many aspects of health. The studies do not generally help us understand the causes, rather they seek indicative associations.

On the general population level, it can be affirmed that high levels of exposure to natural environments result in lower levels of morbidity and mortality, less overweight, a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes, a reduction in cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and improvements in the health conditions for maternity and pregnancy (Lovell, 2016). Moreover, exposure to nature also improves the perceived quality of life provides greater social cohesion and support (improving wellbeing) and can foster a co-therapeutic effect, that is, a quicker recovery from certain diseases (Fernández Muerza, 2017). There is currently little evidence that links exposure to natural environments to cancer, the health of musculoskeletal systems, and allergies. The available scientific evidence is in many cases contradictory and varies in accordance with the type of exposure and the assessed population. The relationship between exposure to the natural environment (for example, carrying out activities or living in a natural environment) and the result (for example, mental illness) is highly complex and is probably affected by many factors (including lifestyle). In short, it is necessary to carry out more solid studies that enable the exact identification of the role played by natural environments on people’s health.

OBJECTIVE

General

Conserve terrestrial, aquatic and marine biodiversity.

Specific

• Favour the resilience of urban green and blue spaces with respect to climate change.
• Guarantee the maintenance of the ecosystem services of urban and peri-urban natural spaces for the health and wellbeing of people.
• Reduce the health risks inherent to the arrival of exotic species, especially those that may be vectors of tropical viruses.

PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Ensure that urban green and blue spaces are as natural as possible and favour their biodiversity in order to increase their stability and capacity to adapt to the effects of global change.
• Foster connectivity between urban natural spaces and peri-urban spaces in order to favour the mobility of species and mitigate the impacts of the change. 
• Manage green spaces in such a way that enough green infrastructure is created for the conservation of biodiversity.
• Establish actions that enable the development and conservation of beneficial species in the urban environment.
• Execute measures to conserve habitats and species (as a priority for the most vulnerable ones).
• Prevent and penalise all forms of deterioration that affect ecosystems.
• Educate the population about the benefits of biodiversity and how the effects of climate change and anthropogenic activities affect ecosystems.

REFERENCE EXPERIENCES

LEGISLATION

• Decret legislatiu 2/2003, de 28 d'abril, pel qual s'aprova el Text refós de la Llei municipal i de règim local de Catalunya. 
• Estratègia del Patrimoni Natural i la Biodiversitat de Catalunya 
• Llei 18/2009, de 22 d’octubre, de salut pública. 
• Llei 22/2009, del 23 de desembre, d’ordenació sostenible de la pesca en aigües continentals. 

STUDIES AND TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION

• Ecosystem services and Green Infrastructure (EC).  
• EC. Nature-based solutions.  
• Fernández Muerza, A., 2017. Baños de Bosque, una propuesta de salud. Instituto DKV de la Vida Saludable e Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona. Observatorio de salud y medio ambiente. Edición especial 2017.  
• Malalts Climàtics, una nova alerta per al futur de la nostra salut.  
• Organització Mundial de la Salut  
• Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, 2019. Protocol per a la vigilància i el control de les arbovirosis importades transmeses per mosquits a Catalunya.
• Vargas Yánez, Manuel, et al., 2010. Cambio Climático en el Mediterráneo espanyol . Instituto Español de Oceanografía.
• Lovell, R., 2016. Natural England Access to Evidence Information Note EIN020 Links between natural environments and physiological health: evidence briefing. European Centre for Environment and Human Health. 
• Oficina Catalana del Canvi Climàtic. Tercer Informe sobre el canvi climàtic a Catalunya. 
• Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica. Las proliferaciones de medusas. 
• Mayo Clinic. Picaduras de medusa.
• MedlinePlus. Picaduras de medusa.
• Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica. LIFE IP INTEMARES.

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