The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) assessed the consequences of ecosystem

Question

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) assessed the consequences of ecosystem change on human well-being. From 2001 to 2005, the MEA involved the work of more than 1,360 experts worldwide. Their findings provide state-of-the-art scientific appraisal of the condition and trends in the world's ecosystems and the services they provide, as well as the scientific basis for action to conserve and use them sustainably. Open the link to the report "Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Health Synthesis”. To understand the health impacts of ecosystem change, read the "Summary for Decision Makers”, pages 1-10 of this document. Then answer the following questions:

1 What is this report about?

2 List two new things you learned from reading this report. What are they? Explain them.

3 What two actions would you take to reduce the threats to human health and life from one of the infectious diseases listed in Table 1.1 (page 24)?

4 List one question that you would like to have answered as a result of reading this report

Explanation / Answer

1. The report is about millennium ecosystem assessment which assess about the human impact on environment and consequences of ecosystem change on human well being, called for by united nations secretary general kofi annan in 2000. The report popularised the term ecosystem services, the benefits gained by humans from ecosystems.

2. First, approximately 60% (15 out of the 24) ecosystem services examined during the millennium ecosystem assessment are being degraded or used unsustainably,including freshwater, capture fisheries,air and water purification and the regulation of regional and local climate,natural hazards and pests. The full cost of loss and degradation of these ecosystem services are difficult to measure.

Second, harmful effects of degradation of ecosystem services are being borne disproportionately by the poor are contributing to growing inequalities and disparities across groups of people and sometimes the principal factor causing poverty and social conflict.

3. a) improvement and expansion of survelliance capabilities for infectious diseases, strengthening local health programmes, establishing provider based sentinel survelliance networks would reduce infectious diseases.

b) focuses on applied research and integration of laboratory science and epidemiology with public health practice will address the problem of infectious diseases.

4. One question that I would like to have answered as a result of reading this report is priorities to be established for actions to address the health consequences of ecosystem change.

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