UN Report : Poor environmental conditions as a frequent and increasing cause of death

The United Nations environment programme presented on Wednesday officially launched its "Global Environment Outlook" for the state of the earth. In this assessment, the global environmental situation and the outlooks for the next decades, more than 250 scientists from 70 countries have participated in this. The Tenor of the report: humanity is changing the planet increasingly in a way that threatens the foundations of life and health. But they would have the resources and technologies to effectively and sustainably counter.

"the Action in unprecedented scale" is necessary

the Report asked governments around the world to change course. Literally, it means: "It is Acting in an unprecedented scale is urgently needed to stop the Situation, and repent." UN experts presented the document at an international conference in Nairobi. In Kenya's capital, Minister for the environment, and experts are currently advising on the "United Nations Environment Assembly". Germany is represented by Secretary of state Jochen Flasbarth.

of The more than 700-page report is the sixth of its kind. He is referred to by the UN as the most comprehensive to date. The fifth edition was published in 2012. Was also presented a 24-page summary for decision-makers (the"Summary for Policy Makers").

among the demands of the experts, the protection of the environment on a massive scale, and to coordinate at the international level. That would otherwise cause damage to Health due to poor environmental conditions of plastic waste burden on top of poor water and air quality to antimicrobial resistance by 2050, especially in Asia, the middle East and Africa, millions of premature deaths. A quarter of the diseases and premature deaths worldwide would now (the report refers to this statement on data from the year 2012) "influence of environmental risks" caused. Also, the destruction of Ecosystems threaten massively the livelihoods of many people, the report says. As a priority and issues such as the companies overarching Problem of climate change is discussed in detail.

lack of awareness

Although the scientific, technological and financial possibilities for an effective course were exchange available, there was a lack of awareness as well as support and Initiative of wide sections of the population, as well as on the part of the economic and political elites.

part of the problem, the authors of the report see that the gap between the Poor and the rich will continue. In poorer countries, Hunger, poverty and diseases on the increase, is excessive consumption, food waste, and pollution in the industrialized countries. Known factors about waste exports or often heavily pesticide-treated mono-cultures in industrial countries demand for agricultural products here.

How the environment affects policy?

Contaminated drinking water and inadequate sanitary conditions are the cause, according to the calculations of experts, annually the death of about 1.4 million people. Even more dangerous is the air pollution. Annually were estimated between six and seven million people.
A large part of the report of the evaluation already adopted protection strategies and "International environmental agreement" (Multilateral Environmental Agreement). One reason for the focus on these aspects of the insight that a successful is not the brakes or even Reverse the current trend of only such political decisions, but primarily on whether and why you ultimately get the desired effect or not.
The experts come to this assessment to conclude that further efforts, such as the previous, focusing mainly on the protection of individual areas, as well as environmentally friendly improvement and increase in efficiency of existing processes will not suffice. Necessary transformative changes were actually "". To have to them, among other things, new institutional frameworks, and largely a reconstruction of social systems and production structures, even changes in values and cultural norms.

Revolution more

This is the report, if largely hidden in scientific formulations, and diplomatic Jargon, nothing more than the Manifesto of a Revolution. For those "Transformation" would have to those to whom it is addressed to Revolutionary but also. After that first reactions to sound. Flasbarth about settled on demand of the daily mirror by the press Department of the Ministry so to quote: "the causes of to address environmental damage effectively, environmental concerns are taken more seriously." Investment should increasingly flow into environmentally friendly projects. The overdue change to more sustainable consumption could "and economic progress."