International Perspectives in Environment, Development and Health: Towards a Sustainable World

WHEN CONSIDERING ENVIRONMENT and development, many people do not think of health impacts. This book fulfils the important role of linking environment, development and health, and discusses these within the wider context of sustainable development. It builds on the contributions of UNCED, Agenda 21 and the WHO Commission of Health and Environment and aims to elaborate a new appreciation of the environment–development–health interface for use as a vehicle for determining research priorities and directions.

In the Third World, some 2.5 billion people suffer from illnesses associated with poor quality water and sanitation, while 4 million infants die each year of diarrhoeal diseases caused by contaminated food and water, and many more either suffer or die from infectious, parasitic and respiratory diseases. This collection documents a wide range of such issues, and their association with the environment and development.

The nature of environment and development-related issues is such that a broad perspective is needed if they are to be considered in any meaningful way. Thus, cooperation between the different sectors and disciplines is required in order to examine these concerns. It is now being recognized that, although no two countries' problems are identical, comparisons can be drawn between them in certain cases. For these two reasons, the book brings together examples from many different countries of multidisciplinary approaches to health concerns and solutions related to the environment and development.

An introductory overview defines the key terms of the work – environment, development and health – and discusses the interactions that occur between them; it also introduces the concept of sustainable development. There follow six sections which present the conceptual framework, approaches and methodologies, policy considerations, selected case studies, diverse opinions and perspectives, and research and intervention priorities. The book concludes that a holistic approach is required to address the challenges of the environment, development and health. In its short life on earth, humankind has managed to change local environments, breed and genetically modify other species to meet food and social needs, and produce synthetic chemicals that do not exist in a natural state in the environment. Warning signals of the effects of these changes are abundant and we must endeavour to find responsible solutions to these problems and concerns. The editors suggest that this will only be achieved through radical reform of our political and social systems to reward long-term community perspectives.