plz help me to write at least 4pages on assignment on environmental information for Human well being
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
The term ‘well-being’ is a construct more typically associated with human-beings than
environments. With reference to the environmental sciences, the word ‘integrity’, in the
context of ecological or biological integrity, is more frequently used to suggest
wholeness or integration of ecosystem structure and function. Ecological communities
that have such integrity would support the full range of species and ecosystem processes
expected of a natural habitat in that region and be able to recover from normal stresses.
Clearly this notion of ecological integrity would be a central and necessary element of
environment well-being.
Another perspective on environment well-being can be gained through interpretations
about its loss. In other words, an ‘unwell’ environment is presented as one that has been
degraded—that is impoverished. The symptoms or indicators of an unwell environment
are perhaps easier to envisage and comprehend than the concepts of wholeness or wellbeing. Degraded soils, polluted air and contaminated water, damaged habitats and
species extinctions are among the more obvious of these indicators. Nonetheless,
indicators of degradation have been difficult to quantify and comprehend at larger
spatial scales. Only with recent advances in science and technology have the less
tangible symptoms of decline associated with global climate change and altered biogeo-chemical cycles been better characterized and used to provide a deeper
understanding of what constitutes ecological integrity and impoverishment.
The metaphors of ‘planet as patient’ and ‘healthy ecosystems’ have played an important
role in communicating both the tangible and intangible dimensions of environmental
well-being to the non-scientific community. The successful “Healthy Waterways”
project in South-East Queensland, Australia is an example of this. People have been
able to relate to the project easily because health is a familiar concept. Despite
engendering considerable debate within the scientific community metaphors such as
healthy ecosystems have paved the way for transdisciplinary thinking about the many
interfaces the biophysical environment shares with human society. Regardless of
whether scientists support or oppose the use of metaphors such as ecosystem health,
there is little contention that to protect both ecological integrity and human society, the
needs of both and their interdependence have to be understood.
To this end, it is useful to consider what the needs of human society are, and as an
adjunct, what constitutes human well-being. From their biophysical environment
individual humans require clean air, a safe and adequate water supply, adequate
nutrition and shelter and a global ecosystem that will continue to provide these services.
However, human well-being is a holistic construct that goes well beyond the dimensions
of biophysical health at an individual level. Its meaning is captured in the often quoted
World Health Organization’s definition of health as “a state of complete physical,
mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity”. Both
health and well-being are powerful constructs that could, theoretically, be applied across
each of these dimensions of body, mind and spirit at a range of nested levels, from
individuals and communities through to global populations. However, without
satisfactory operational definitions, they have served primarily as immeasurable ideals
or slogans.
Partly due to this, the biomedical model of health, with its attendant focus on measures
UNESCO – EOLSS
SAMPLE CHAPTERS
INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES INVOLVING ETHICS AND JUSTICE – Vol.II - Environment Well-Being and Human Well-Being -
Anne H. Neller and Ron J. Neller
©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS)
of ill-health, has dominated within the structures of modern societies. Particularly in
Western societies health is viewed primarily as an individual asset to be transacted
within the health care system. Many have argued, that the ‘disease care system’ would
be a more accurate descriptor of this system. The challenge to this dominance of the
biomedical model of health has come from the public health movement, which
continues to evolve towards a more ecological understanding of public health and wellbeing. Mirroring the difficulties in the environmental sciences, there is on-going debate
around issues such as how to measure and operationalize the less tangible dimensions of
health such as social well-being and social harmony/capital. Renewed interest in the
measurement of human well-being has been generated as the public health movement
attempts to define ‘indicators’ of well-being to monitor its own success.
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Answer:
Human Well Being and The Environment
HUMAN WELL BEING AND THE ENVIRONMENT
For sustainable development to be achieved, links between the environment and development must be examined. It is also important to consider the end point of development: human well being. The evolution of ideas on development has made this concept central to the policy debate. This idea, and the state of the environment are strongly interlinked. Establishing how environmental changes have impacts, and showing the importance of environment to humans, is the focus of this discussion.
Defining human well being
Defining human well being (see Box 1.2) is not easy, due to alternative views on what it means. Simply put, human well being can be classified according to three views, each of which has different implications for the environment:
– The resources people have, such as money and other assets. Wealth is seen as conducive to well-being. This view is closely linked to the concept of weak sustainability, which argues that environmental losses can be compensated for by increases in physical capital (machines) (So low 1991). The environment can only contribute to development as a means to promote economic growth.
Human Well Being and The Environment
HUMAN WELL BEING AND THE ENVIRONMENT
For sustainable development to be achieved, links between the environment and development must be examined. It is also important to consider the end point of development: human well being. The evolution of ideas on development has made this concept central to the policy debate. This idea, and the state of the environment are strongly interlinked. Establishing how environmental changes have impacts, and showing the importance of environment to humans, is the focus of this discussion.
Defining human well being
Defining human well being (see Box 1.2) is not easy, due to alternative views on what it means. Simply put, human well being can be classified according to three views, each of which has different implications for the environment:
– The resources people have, such as money and other assets. Wealth is seen as conducive to well-being. This view is closely linked to the concept of weak sustainability, which argues that environmental losses can be compensated for by increases in physical capital (machines) (So low 1991). The environment can only contribute to development as a means to promote economic growth.
– How people feel about their lives (their subjective views). Individuals’ assessments of their own living conditions take into account the intrinsic importance that environment has for life satisfaction. According to this view, people value the environment for its traditional or cultural aspects (Diener 2000, Frey and Stutzer 2005).
– What people are able to be and to do. This view focuses on what the environment allows individuals to be and to do (Sen 1985, Sen 1992, Sen 1999). It points out that the environment provides the basis for many benefits, such as proper nourishment, avoiding unnecessary morbidity and premature mortality, enjoying security and self-respect, and taking part in the life of the community. The environment is appreciated beyond its role as income generator, and its impacts on human well being are seen as multidimensional.
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