Healthy wetlands, healthy people: a review of wetlands and human health interactions

Greetings:

Ramsar Technical Report No. 6, Healthy wetlands, healthy people: a review of wetlands and human health interactions, is now published and available for download in PDF format at http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/lib/rtr6-health.pdf .

The new report, published jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO), focuses on providing advice to wetland managers and decision-makers on the range of often complex issues concerning wetlands and human health and well being. The benefits of wetland ecosystems for human health can be approached in at least three interrelated ways: by recognizing the human needs that are met by water in its setting; by recognizing the health products that come from wetland ecosystems; and by recognizing the economic value of wetlands in a full sense to sustainably improve their socio-economic conditions. The information in the report should help to facilitate dialogue between wetlands and human health professionals in their respective efforts to maintain and improve wetland ecological character and people’s health.

The 106-page report is authored by Professors Pierre Horwitz, STRP Wetlands and Human Health lead member, Max Finlayson, STRP climate change lead member, and Philip Weinstein of the University of South Australia;  significant inputs were received from Drs Robert Bos and Martin Birley from the World Health Organization (WHO), Professor Chris Skelly, and a number of other invited experts, STRP members (notably Rebecca D’Cruz and Ritesh Kumar), and observers as contributing authors.

Best regards, Monica Zavagli, Scientific and Technical Support Officer
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Sandra Hails
CEPA Programme Officer
Ramsar Convention Secretariat
28 rue Mauverney, CH-1196 Gland (Switzerland)
Tel. +41 22 999 0176; fax +41 22 999 0169
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