|
Watch Videos:
Part 1: The Relationship between Epidemiology, Climate Change and Health
Part 2: The Consequences of Ecological Disintegrity
Part 3: Now is the Time to Act
Visit Our YouTube Page
Epidemiology is the study of diseases
in certain populations. This science studies all the
interconnecting elements of the ecological web of our existence.
Professor Soskolne emphasizes how even the smallest alteration to
one of these elements causes a chain reaction, greatly
influencing every other aspect of the ecosystem.
As an example, Dr. Soskolne describes how a tainted water supply
can trigger severe problems for the human population, economy,
public health, and of course, the environment. Though his
specialty is research, Dr. Soskolne urges political action. He
stresses the need for a global commitment to lessen the harm we
cause the environment. For him, this is more than an
environmental or political issue. It is a moral one.
So, is it too late? Dr. Soskolne confesses he is not optimistic
about the future. However, he feels it is never too late to
divert from our current fatal path. We may not be able to erase
the inevitable end, but we can postpone it for the sake of future
generations, he says. Dr. Soskolne advocates living a life of
"voluntary simplicity," using "7-Generational Thinking," and
aiming for "Ecological Integrity."
"We must change course" now to prevent further damage to the
earth. He admits as humans, we are a spoiled, excessive species.
Because of our lifestyles and cultural comforts, we are
destroying "the very resources that sustain us." There is no
silver-bullet solution to come to our rescue. There is no denying
that our actions have consequences, states Dr. Soskolne. Now is
the time for action. The proof is all around us.
Dr. Colin Soskolne is a professor of Public Health
Sciences at the University of Alberta. He has also worked with
the World Health Organization on numerous projects, including
reports on Global Ecological Integrity and Sustainable
Development. After 31 years in his hometown of Johannesburg,
South Africa, he moved to North America. Here, he has devoted
much of his life to the issues of professional ethics in his
field, environmental health, its science and influencing
policy.
Prof. Soskolne
at the University of Alberta
Visit theEarth Charter
Initiative
One way of changing course from the calamitous path that we are
now on would be to embrace The Earth Charter, which has 16
"simply" crafted principles that are essentially shared universal
values that, if adopted by all of humanity, would better ensure a
future for our children on a sustainable planet.
Visit the
Cambridge Strategies Web site
Visit TheWebVideo
Web site
|
|
POLICY CHANNEL © 2003 - 2008 All Rights Reserved