‘A healthy biodiversity translates to healthy people’– international biodiversity expert

“What we do to our environment has definite consequences to human health.” This was highlighted by Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, international biodiversity expert and Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) in her message during the recent ASEAN regional workshop on health and biodiversity held in Manila, Philippines.

The workshop convened experts from the Ministries of Environment and Health in the ASEAN countries to discuss national experiences and best practices on integrating biodiversity and health, and incorporating biodiversity considerations in national and regional health programs.

“Human health ultimately depends on ecosystems services that are made possible by biodiversity and its products,” stated Dr. Lim. “Forests, for example, contribute to human health and safety by regulating climate and disease development, and purifying air and water. People also turn to nature for physical, emotional, and mental well-being,” she cited.

“Losing our biodiversity means losing the source of raw materials for our medicines. Biodiversity loss is a crosscutting environmental threat that will affect the health sector, as the natural ingredients of medicines come from plants and animals. The high demand and visibility of innovative compounds and novel drugs developed from plants and other natural resources further highlight the relevance of biodiversity to modern health,” explained Dr. Lim.

She urged health and biodiversity authorities to “think strategically and innovatively” in looking for solutions to the sectors’ global and local challenges. The regional workshop, she said, came up with outputs that will ultimately lead to the larger outcome of integrating biodiversity conservation in the health sector.

The three-day workshop was organized by ACB, in cooperation with the World Health Organization, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, and the United Nation University’s Institute for International Global Health. It was hosted by the Philippines’ Department of Health and Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and supported by the European Union through the Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in ASEAN Project. (ACB)