The Importance of Balancing Ecosystems for Our Health

Maintaining balanced ecosystems is crucial to supporting and protecting human health. Our well-being is deeply interconnected with the health of the planet’s natural systems, which provide essential services, regulate disease, and create conditions for a healthy life.

• Provision of Essential Resources
  Ecosystems provide fresh water, clean air, nutritious food, fertile soil, and medicinal resources. Healthy ecosystems ensure the availability and quality of these critical resources, directly impacting our physical health and livelihoods123.

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  Diverse, balanced ecosystems can reduce the prevalence and transmission of infectious diseases. High biodiversity acts as a buffer, limiting the spread of pathogens from animals to humans, known as zoonoses. Disruption, such as deforestation or habitat loss, increases contact with new disease reservoirs and can lead to outbreaks of illnesses like malaria, SARS, and Ebola456.

• Climate Regulation and Disaster Mitigation
  Forests, wetlands, and oceans regulate climate by absorbing greenhouse gases, stabilizing temperatures, and mitigating the effects of extreme weather events. Balanced ecosystems—like mangroves and forests—serve as natural barriers, protecting communities against floods, storms, and droughts57.

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  Ecosystems filter pollutants, break down wastes, and purify water and air. Wetlands, for example, remove toxins and pathogens, ensuring safe drinking water and reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases17.

• Mental and Emotional Well-being
  Access to healthy natural environments improves mental health, decreases stress, enhances mood, and supports cognitive function and social well-being. Urban green spaces and biodiversity-rich parks are linked to better overall health outcomes8910.

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  Destruction of natural habitats and reduction of biodiversity heighten the risk of infectious disease spillover from animals to humans, increasing the likelihood of epidemics and pandemics46.

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  Degraded ecosystems produce lower crop yields, threaten fisheries, and reduce access to clean water, leading to malnutrition and water scarcity for millions of people173.

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  When ecosystems such as forests and wetlands are degraded, their ability to filter air and water is diminished, resulting in higher exposure to pollutants and related health problems such as respiratory illnesses and waterborne diseases172.

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  Imbalances lead to loss of natural resources (pollinators, soil fertility), affecting agriculture, livelihoods, and local economies. Healthcare costs rise as disease outbreaks, malnutrition, and pollution-related illnesses increase15.

• Resilience Against Emerging Threats
  Healthy ecosystems provide resilience against climate change, pandemics, and environmental hazards. They support adaptive capacity by safeguarding species diversity and maintaining ecological functions5711.

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  By sustaining vital ecosystem services, we secure ongoing access to food, water, clean air, and medicines—foundational for long-term public health and survival13.

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  From physical and mental health to social and economic wellbeing, balanced ecosystems are the foundation for all aspects of human flourishing8910.

Conclusion

Balancing ecosystems is not just an environmental issue—it is a public health imperative. Our long-term health, well-being, and resilience depend on the preservation and restoration of the Earth’s ecosystems158.

1. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/biodiversity
2. https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/download/18952.pdf
3. https://www.cbd.int/doc/bioday/2008/ibd-2008-factsheet-01-en.pdf
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7122048/
5. https://www.numberanalytics.com/blog/ecological-and-human-health-interconnectedness
6. https://www.conservation.org/blog/why-is-biodiversity-important
7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3839693/
8. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-023-01151-3
9. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213078015000523
10. https://mgiep.unesco.org/article/why-is-biodiversity-important-for-human-mental-health-and-emotional-well-being
11. https://euromed-economists.org/strengthening-the-links-between-human-health-and-ecosystem-health-through-science/
12. https://cheetah.org/canada/2020/12/03/the-benefits-of-healthy-ecosystems/
13. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/43354/9241563095.pdf
14. https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/how-biodiversity-loss-harms-human-health/
15. https://www.cpha.ca/sites/default/files/assets/policy/ecosystem_health_e.pdf
16. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041614001648
17. https://www.millenniumassessment.org/documents/document.356.aspx.pdf
18. https://unsdg.un.org/latest/blog/time-heal-why-restoring-ecosystems-essential-human-health
19. https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climate-impacts/climate-impacts-ecosystems_.html
20. https://www.greenfacts.org/en/ecosystems/millennium-assessment-3/3-human-wellbeing-poverty.htm