Why ensure environmental sustainability

It has an area of 9, The Extreme Poverty Map of Nicaragua indicates that It is a subsistence economy with high levels of poverty, an underdeveloped infrastructure, and emerging socio-political and institutional development. Due to its geography, it is characterized as being one of the municipalities most vulnerable to natural phenomena and social issues political issues, emigration, immigration, border disputes, nutritional problems, economic issues, limited employment opportunities, and minimal access to basic services ; it is also characterized as being difficult to access by road.

It also encourages medical practitioners to lead efforts towards more environmentally sustainable behaviour in healthcare facilities.

Improving environmental sustainability in health care will reduce the environmental impact of the sector, ensure that the health system is better equipped to support the health of Australians into the future, and reduce the associated health impacts of poor environmental outcomes such as climate change. Reducing the environmental impact of health care is important not least because human health is inextricably linked to the health of the environment.

These include the unprecedented demand created by an ageing population [5] and an increasing burden of chronic disease [6] ; and the heightened probability of large-scale health emergencies caused by environmental conditions [7]. Noting that these challenges are complex in their own right and require significant effort and planning to address, this Position Statement will focus exclusively on environmental sustainability.

However, it should be noted that improvements in environmental sustainability are likely to reap benefits in other areas, and vice versa, largely because sustainability efforts are focussed on improving efficiency. For example, minimising waste and instituting recycling programs are likely to have economic benefits as well as environmental ones. Similarly, public health campaigns designed to reduce the financial burden of chronic disease are also likely to reduce the energy used in complex care facilities by reducing demand for services.

Like most sectors in the Australian economy, health care negatively affects the environment by emitting carbon into the atmosphere, producing waste and consuming natural resources. Carbon emissions are particularly harmful to the environment, and to human health, because of their causative link to climate change.

Healthcare facilities also contribute to ambient air pollution, which has negative health effects. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that air pollution causes 0. Efforts to reduce emissions and work towards environmental sustainability are therefore a responsibility of the Australian healthcare sector.

By lowering its impact on the environment, the healthcare sector can improve health outcomes for Australians, thereby reducing pressure on the health system as a whole. The study by Malik et al measured total healthcare-related carbon emissions between April and March , dividing the results into the 15 healthcare segments set out by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

The study finds that from , the Australian healthcare sector emitted 35, kilotonnes of carbon emissions, constituting 7 per cent of all Australian emissions. Public hospitals represented 34 per cent of emissions, private hospitals 10 per cent, pharmaceuticals 19 per cent and capital expenditure 8 per cent.

Smaller contributors included specialist medical services 6 per cent , community and public health 6 per cent and general practice 4 per cent. Carbon emissions, although important, do not represent the total environmental impact of health care in Australia.

Haiti: 1. Results Profile Stepping up Climate Action Projects are helping nations build a more prosperous and sustainable future, as well as resilience against climate change. The 8 Goals Hunger 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Learn More » Education 2.

Achieve universal primary education Learn More » Gender 3. Promote gender equality and empower women Learn More » Children 4. Reduce child mortality Learn More » Mothers 5.

Improve maternal health Learn More » Disease 6. Ensure environmental sustainability Learn More » Partnership 8. Develop a global partnership for development Learn More ». As a result, fish stocks in are below the level at which they can maximise sustainable yields. That said, some areas in Europe, Oceania, and North America have successfully rebuilt some of their over-fished stocks. Fifth , water scarcity seems to be on the rise.

While only 9 percent of renewable fresh water resources are withdrawn globally by municipalities, industries, and agriculture, which is well below the 25 percent withdrawal threshold that marks the start of physical water stress, 41 countries experienced water stress in ; an increase from 36 countries in Worse still, 10 countries from Northern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Central Asia withdrew more than percent of renewable fresh water, which means they are depleting their renewable groundwater resources.

Many regions have increased their terrestrial protected areas significantly since , especially in Latin America where it rose from 8. Between and , the proportion of the world population using improved drinking water source and using improved sanitation facility has increased significantly, surpassing the MDG target in The lives of slum dwellers have also improved considerably since to , with more than million people gaining access to improved water, durable housing, improved sanitation, or less crowded housing conditions.

This means that the MDG7 target was surpassed.