ABSTRACT
In an increasingly interdependent world, environmental hazards and risks are recognized as being woven through communities, societies and economies in complex ways, leading to systemic and cascading risks which also impact on health and livelihoods. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented health, economic and geopolitical crisis, and it has shown that the global trends of increasingly frequent and severe emergencies and disasters are occurring and impacting on the human dimensions of environmental hazards, which cross-cuts many of the global frameworks and reflects the need to address these issues globally. This chapter reviews the 2015 UN landmark agreements, summarizes relevant environmental United Nations conventions and international policies and outlines the World Health Organization International Health Regulations and the World Health Organization Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Framework, which emphasize the critical importance of prevention, preparedness and readiness, together with response and recovery, to save lives and protect health from environmental and other hazards. This chapter offers some considerations on the impact of these international policies and suggestions on the way forwards via the United Nations and associated organizations.
