WEHOWorld Ecological Health Organization

Ecological Conditions and Human Health

A sourced introduction to the pathways linking ecosystems, exposure and health.

What the evidence supports

Ecosystems support health through food, fresh water, climate regulation and cultural benefits. Degradation can change exposure to heat, pollution, infectious hazards and food insecurity, but effects vary by place and population.

How to interpret it

Evidence should be read as a chain: ecological change, an exposure or service pathway, a health outcome and the social conditions that shape vulnerability. A broad relationship does not predict an individual's outcome.

Scope

This overview is educational and does not provide individual diagnosis, treatment or regulatory advice.

Sources

  1. WHO: Ecosystems and Human Well-being — Health Synthesis — Accessed
  2. WHO report on biodiversity and health — Accessed