Exploring links between the environment, human activity, and health for the planet and society Catherine Machalaba, MPH Science Officer, Future Earth ecohealth core project SSEESS-Future Earth Conference 26 November 2015
What does our Future Health look like? EC/ECHO/Anouk Delafortrie
ecohealth overview Developed under DIVERSITAS as a cross-cutting network Goal to focus on specific themes, conduct background working group meetings, generate research, acquire external funding so each working group becomes rapidly sustainable Transitioned to Future Earth in 2014 Chair: Peter Daszak, PhD Initial 12 Scientific Committee members with expertise in: public health, ecology, international development, agriculture, virology, economics, conservation, private industry, security, toxicology, and weather and climate science sectors. We see this mix as key to cutting across disciplines to find innovative solutions that benefit health and are sustainable International Project Office hosted at EcoHealth Alliance in NY, NY, USA
External funds raised directly for ecohealth activities Model: using seed funding to catalyze a new priority initiative, and then securing funding to sustain it for a large-scale project that can take on a life of its own. 1. Economics of emerging diseases and trade (joint funding with ecoservices) NSF/NIH ~$2 million 2. BIODIS (biodiversity and infectious disease): $300,000 per year, 4 years French Foundation for Biodiversity Research; Fondacion Total 3. In-kind support from EcoHealth Alliance: ~$50,000 per year commitment Office space, science and support staff salary, data acquisition, platform and venue for outreach events 4. Leveraged support: ~$200, 000 per year example: NSF Research Coordination Network EcoHealthNet (interdisciplinary research exchanges and training for students). ecohealth is a partner in this network. Funds support grad. student work on ecohealth activities. Envisage substantial future external support with expanded program scope
Scientific Focus Initial goals for first year: 1. Biodiversity, ecosystems and infectious diseases 1. Economics of diseases and their drivers land-use, oceans, air, energy, food production, etc. 1. Climate change, demography and health
Human-Animal Health Links Machalaba and Karesh, Huffington Post
Drivers of Recent Emerging Infectious Diseases 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Land use changes Food industry changes Human susceptibility to infection Agricultural industry changes International travel & commerce War & famine Unspecified Climate & weather Breakdown of public health measures Bushmeat Human demographics & behavior Medical industry changes Antimicrobial agent use Other industries Bushmeat hunting EcoHealth Alliance/Loh et al. 2015 VBZD, Jones et al. 2008 Nature
Health and Ecological Monitoring Not currently integrated; different metrics and reporting systems Track human health outcomes, but also wildlife health and ecosystem health parameters, ecological and climate and weather factors Can help understand complexities on a multiple-disease level Predictive value! Can compare across different environmental change scenarios
ecohealth agenda: a new strategy for global health Global environmental change exerting major pressures on health Yet the health community is ill-prepared to deal with these factors beyond their current scope Current health systems are reactive rather than proactive Preventing health impacts by tackling root causes can also reduce environmental impacts Ecological information can provide predictive value for health Ebola outbreak has galvanized the global health community ecohealth members actively involved in high-level discussion on new global health policies post-ebola ecohealth has published a new analysis on the economics of preventing pandemics (Pike et al. 2014 PNAS) Sustainable Development health agenda ecohealth SC closely linked to UN system (FAO, UNDP, USAID, WHO, UNEP, OIE)
Translation to Policy Health can be leveraged to address underlying drivers of environmental degradation Value of health as an ecosystem service What are different land use scenarios? What s the potential health cost vs. benefit? Synergies via the One Health approach: not just human health; also agriculture, conservation, etc. Sustainable Development agenda: More preventive health targets Coordinated investments for integration and dual benefits across goals
External Collaborators/Networks (A Few of Many!) American Public Health Association Biodiversity and Community Health Initiative (hosted at UNU) Bioversity International COHAB Initiative Consortium of Universities for Global Health Global Health Security Agenda Institute of Medicine Forum on Microbial Threats International Association for Ecology and Health IUCN SSC and IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management One Health Alliance of South Asia Public Health Foundation of India United Nations Environment Programme Convention on Biological Diversity United Nations Development Program Towards a Safer World Network United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization World Bank Group World Health Organization IHR Roster of Experts World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
Collaboration with Swedish GEC Research Community Information dissemination Cross-linking on websites Scientific papers + innovative outputs (e.g. infographics, blog posts, videos, outreach events, MOOC) Resource sharing, such as protocols Coordinated data collection and analyses Policy development / policy strengthening (international and national standard setting) Joint research projects Coordination on health and ecological monitoring programs Capacity building, e.g. EcoHealth Net (graduate student workshop and research exchange)
Thank you! Email: Machalaba@ecohealthalliance.org Website: www.futureearth.info/ecohealth