Connecting Global Priorities Biodiversity and Human Health

intersectoral collaboration on biodiversity–health
linkages.
4. Towards the development of
common metrics and approaches
The integration of biodiversity and human
health can be facilitated by the use of common
metrics and frameworks. Conventional measures
of health are often too limited in focus to
adequately encompass the multiple health
benefits from biodiversity (Corvalan et al. 2005).
Notwithstanding the broad WHO definition of
health described in Chapter 2 of this volume,
traditional measures of health, such as disability
adjusted life years (DALYs) and burden of disease,
tend to have a more narrow focus on morbidity,
mortality, and disability, and fail to capture the
full breadth of the complex linkages between
biodiversity and health, including social and
determinants and cultural underpinnings (E.g.
Talbot and Verrinder 2009; see also the chapters
on mental health and traditional medicine in this
volume). A more holistic approach is necessary.
Examples of such tools on the human health
side include environmental hazard or risk factor
analyses, tools aimed at the identification (and
reduction) of health disparities and inequities,
identifying environmental and socio-economic
determinants of disease, and conducting
health impact assessments. Complementary
conservation approaches include landscape
and seascape change modelling, vulnerability
and adaptation assessments, integrated health
and environmental assessments and ecosystem
service analyses. Valuation approaches, when
being used in conjunction with, or being based
on, tools and methods that further contribute to
our understanding of ecosystem functioning and
human health linkages, can also be useful tools
for the assessment of benefits and trade-offs of
different policy scenarios. Examples of such tools
on the human health side include environmental
hazard or risk factor analyses, tools aimed at the
identification (and reduction) of health disparities
and inequities, identifying environmental
and socio-economic determinants of disease,
and conducting health impact assessments.
Complementary conservation approaches include
landscape and seascape change modelling,
vulnerability and adaptation assessments,
integrated health and environmental assessments
and ecosystem service analyses. Valuation
approaches, when being used in conjunction with,
or being based on, tools and methods that further
contribute to our understanding of ecosystem
functioning and human health linkages, can also
be useful tools for the assessment of benefits and
trade-offs of different policy scenarios.
Measuring the health effects of ecosystem change
by considering established “exposure” threshold
values can help to highlight biodiversity-healthdevelopment
linkages. Mechanisms linking
ecosystem change to health effects are varied.
For many sub-fields, exposure thresholds or
standards have been scientifically established that
serve as trigger points for taking action to avoid
or minimize disease or disability. For example,
air quality standards exist for particle pollution,
WHO has established minimum quantities of per
capita water required to meet basic needs, and
thresholds for food security define the quantity of
food required to meet individual daily nutritional
needs. Measuring the health effects of ecosystem
change relative to established threshold values
highlights how such change constitutes exposure –
an important principle linking cause and disease
or other health effects – and encourages action if
thresholds are exceeded.
Given the complexity and heterogeneity
of the tools available to assess health and
biodiversity linkages, complementary crosssectoral
approaches require the development of
a common evidence base across the health and
conservation sectors. These can extend from the
development of standardized measures in the
integration of systematic assessment processes
(including environmental impact assessments,
strategic environmental assessments, health
impact assessments and risk or strategic
assessments), to more systematic reviews of
research findings, standardized data collection
forms and computerized modelling programs,
and the systemic consideration of multiple health
impacts in policy evaluation and assessment. The
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