Safeguarding Ecosystems Health

Regional and global issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, underscore the links between the health of ecosystems and human health. It is vital that Asia and the Pacific countries place the importance of safeguarding and restoring ecosystems and nature in general and through climate action at the center of policy priorities to build back better. The region is home to a diversity of marine and terrestrial ecosystems which hold immense value for economies and livelihoods as well as social capital but are under increasing threat from pollution and unsustainable use. Integrated environmental policy approaches that safeguard ecosystem health and human health and take action on the climate in a holistic manner are urgently needed and need to be implemented across all sectors spanning the continuum from urban and rural areas. Urgent issues, such as marine plastic pollution from land-based sources and its impact on fragile marine ecosystems, call for qualified leaders and stakeholders that can be sensitive to environmental realities, capable of understanding the circumstances that lead to these realities, and of implementing transformative actions to solve them.

Course Structure

The first session of the course will provide an introduction on the need for integrated policy approaches looking at the nexus between biodiversity/ecosystems, human health and climate change, and specific examples of application. The second session will take the marine ecosystem as a sample, providing an in-depth analysis of environmental challenges (i.e. marine plastic pollution from cities) and potential interventions to tackle them taking a multilevel governance approach.

Method of Delivery

Session 1 will be delivered through an introductory panel discussion with experts on biodiversity, ecosystem health and integrated policies looking at the nexus on biodiversity/ecosystems, climate change and human health. The discussion will introduce these concepts and practical approaches to address priority ecosystem health protection issues in Asia and the Pacific.

Session 2 focusing on marine pollution and ecosystems will be delivered through a virtual classroom platform. This session will offer participants more interactive tools to engage in the discussions both with presenters and fellow participants. The session will include a live assessment and feedback segment.