At least 155 states recognize that their citizens have the right to live in a healthy environment under national law or under international agreements such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Despite these protections, the World Health Organization estimates that 23 percent of all deaths are due to “environmental risks” such as air pollution, water contamination and chemical exposure.
Such statistics are the reason that the UN Human Rights Council recently passed a resolution reaffirming states’ obligations to protect human rights, including by taking stronger measures to address environmental problems.
Here are some of the ways in which a threatened planet threatens the human right to health.
Destruction of wildlife contributes to zoonoses
Land alteration due to construction of homes, farms, and industries has brought humans into close contact with wildlife, setting the stage for the transfer of pathogens from wild animals to humans.
An estimated 60 percent of human infections are of animal origin. There are many other viruses ready to transfer from animals to humans. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, “About 1.7 million unidentified viruses of the type known to infect humans still exist in mammals and waterfowl. Any one of these could be the next ‘disease X’ with more destructive and deadly potential than COVID-19.”
Air pollution reduces health quality and shortens life expectancy
Nine out of ten people in the world breathe polluted air, which harms human health and shortens life expectancy. About 7 million people die each year from air pollution-related diseases and infections, more than five times the number of people killed in traffic accidents.
Exposure to pollutants can also affect the brain, causing developmental delays, behavioral problems and even reduced IQ in children. In older people, pollutants have been linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Reduced biodiversity reduces the nutritional value of food
In the last 50 years alone, the diet of people around the world has become 37 percent similar: just 12 crops and 5 animal species provide 75 percent of the world’s energy consumption. Today, nearly one in three people suffer from some form of malnutrition, and a significant portion of the world’s population suffers from nutrition-related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Reducing biodiversity also reduces the effect and effectiveness of drugs
Natural products make up the majority of existing pharmaceuticals and play the most important role in treating cancer. However, an estimated 15,000 species of medicinal plants are in danger of extinction, and the Earth loses at least one life-saving medicine every two years.