ABSTRACT
The Rio principles state that human beings are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature. However, the reality for many people is very different. While there is a complex interplay of factors that determine health, the major diseases of poverty and adverse environmental conditions are currently considered an impediment to economic progress, and ill health has the potential to reverse decades of progress, especially in developing countries. Evidence suggests that poor environmental quality is associated with approximately one quarter of all preventable illness in the world, with diarrhoeal diseases and acute respiratory infections the most common. Two-thirds of all preventable ill health due to environmental conditions occurs amongst children (WHO, 2002). A few measures could go a long way towards improving the health of billions of people in the developing world. These include providing greater access to safe drinking water, expanding basic sanitation and waste disposal technologies and improving air quality in urban areas (UNDPI, 2001). Another important measure is the improvement of indoor air quality through increased access to cleaner sources of household energy for cooking and heating. However, problems related to health and the environment cannot be solved if poverty is not addressed. Three diseases – HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria – dominate the global burden of disease, causing more than 5.5 million deaths every year. Addressing major causes of ill health and strengthening health services for all, including the most disadvantaged groups such as women and the poor, are major priorities in sustainable development.
