UN News May 20
FOOD CRISIS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND INFLUENZA ARE MAIN THREATS TO HEALTH, SAYS UN
New York, May 19 2008 6:00PM
The global food crisis, climate change and pandemic influenza are the main threats to human health, according to the United Nations World Health Organization.
“These three critical events, these clear threats to international security, have the potential to undo much hard-won progress in public health,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said today in Geneva.
Speaking at the opening of the 61st session of the World Health Assembly, which is WHO’s supreme decision-making body, Ms. Chan said the organization had identified 21 “hot spots” around the world which are already experiencing high levels of acute and chronic malnutrition. As part of the international task force on the global crisis caused by soaring food prices, WHO is aiming to guide priority action, she said.
Ms. Chan added that an estimated 3.5 million deaths a year are caused by undernutrition, and that poor households spend on average between 50 and 75 per cent of their income on food. “More money spent on food means less money available for health care, especially for the many millions of poor households who rely on out-of-pocket payments when they fall ill.”
On climate change, she said that more droughts, floods and tropical storms would add to the demands for humanitarian assistance and would result in a growing number of environmental refugees. “Again, the poor will be the first and hardest hit. Climate change is already adding an additional set of stresses in areas that are already fragile, with marginal livelihoods and thin margins of survival when shocks occur.”
Ms. Chan described pandemic influenza, potentially set off by the spread of bird flu to humans, as the “third global crisis looming on the horizon.” She said that “the threat has by no means receded, and we would be very unwise to let down our guard, or slacken our preparedness measures.”
“As with climate change, all countries will be affected, though in a far more rapid and sweeping way,” she added.
The week-long session of the World Health Assembly will also discuss female genital mutilation (FGM) and the harmful use of alcohol.
2008-05-19 00:00:00.000
BIODIVERSITY KEY TO TACKING GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS – UN AGENCY
New York, May 19 2008 12:00PM
Just 12 crops and 14 animal species provide most of the world’s food, and this lack of diversity means that the food supply has become more vulnerable and less sustainable – according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
“The erosion of biodiversity for food and agriculture severely compromises global food security,” FAO Assistant Director-General Alexander Müller said today. “We need to strengthen our efforts to protect and wisely manage biodiversity for food security,” he added.
Speaking at the beginning of a global conference on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Bonn, Germany, Mr. Müller called on the international community to intensify its commitment to integrating food security and biodiversity concerns.
FAO also raised the alarm about a worldwide decline in biodiversity. It estimates that the genetic diversity of agricultural crops has declined by 75 per cent over the last century and that hundreds of the 7,000 animal breeds registered in FAO databases are threatened with extinction.
FAO says that less genetic diversity means that there are fewer opportunities for the growth and innovation needed to boost agriculture at a time of soaring food prices.
Related: 26700
2008-05-19 00:00:00.000
New York, May 19 2008 6:00PM
The global food crisis, climate change and pandemic influenza are the main threats to human health, according to the United Nations World Health Organization.
“These three critical events, these clear threats to international security, have the potential to undo much hard-won progress in public health,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said today in Geneva.
Speaking at the opening of the 61st session of the World Health Assembly, which is WHO’s supreme decision-making body, Ms. Chan said the organization had identified 21 “hot spots” around the world which are already experiencing high levels of acute and chronic malnutrition. As part of the international task force on the global crisis caused by soaring food prices, WHO is aiming to guide priority action, she said.
Ms. Chan added that an estimated 3.5 million deaths a year are caused by undernutrition, and that poor households spend on average between 50 and 75 per cent of their income on food. “More money spent on food means less money available for health care, especially for the many millions of poor households who rely on out-of-pocket payments when they fall ill.”
On climate change, she said that more droughts, floods and tropical storms would add to the demands for humanitarian assistance and would result in a growing number of environmental refugees. “Again, the poor will be the first and hardest hit. Climate change is already adding an additional set of stresses in areas that are already fragile, with marginal livelihoods and thin margins of survival when shocks occur.”
Ms. Chan described pandemic influenza, potentially set off by the spread of bird flu to humans, as the “third global crisis looming on the horizon.” She said that “the threat has by no means receded, and we would be very unwise to let down our guard, or slacken our preparedness measures.”
“As with climate change, all countries will be affected, though in a far more rapid and sweeping way,” she added.
The week-long session of the World Health Assembly will also discuss female genital mutilation (FGM) and the harmful use of alcohol.
2008-05-19 00:00:00.000
BIODIVERSITY KEY TO TACKING GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS – UN AGENCY
New York, May 19 2008 12:00PM
Just 12 crops and 14 animal species provide most of the world’s food, and this lack of diversity means that the food supply has become more vulnerable and less sustainable – according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
“The erosion of biodiversity for food and agriculture severely compromises global food security,” FAO Assistant Director-General Alexander Müller said today. “We need to strengthen our efforts to protect and wisely manage biodiversity for food security,” he added.
Speaking at the beginning of a global conference on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Bonn, Germany, Mr. Müller called on the international community to intensify its commitment to integrating food security and biodiversity concerns.
FAO also raised the alarm about a worldwide decline in biodiversity. It estimates that the genetic diversity of agricultural crops has declined by 75 per cent over the last century and that hundreds of the 7,000 animal breeds registered in FAO databases are threatened with extinction.
FAO says that less genetic diversity means that there are fewer opportunities for the growth and innovation needed to boost agriculture at a time of soaring food prices.
Related: 26700
2008-05-19 00:00:00.000
Labels: biodiversity, biosafety, food crisis, United Nations
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