The health of the human being in coexistence with a transformative biosphere

(Unsplash, 2019)

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Priscila Pegoretti, a third-semester medical student at the Universidade Regional de Blumenau(FURB) in Brazil. She is affiliated to the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

The environmental damage responsible for extreme climate change is not an occurrence only in recent decades. Since the Industrial Revolution, which began in the mid-1760s, emissions of pollutants have compromised the integrity of the planet and it is in an attempt to mitigate its impacts that man has been proposing discussions and raising solutions. In spite of this, a deep reflection on fundamental concepts in this demand is still necessary.

Climate change can pose a direct risk to human health, through the heat waves that worsen respiratory and circulatory conditions, and also affect sleep quality, as recent studies have shown progressively. On the other hand, they can indirectly influence the extent to which they can cause endemics to occur, since prolonged droughts are increasingly frequent, and human migrations can then spread infectious diseases.

So, faced with such threats, with gradually more destructive hurricanes, more and more devastating floods, we should stop to reflect: what is the true relationship between nature and the human species?

The reaction of the biosphere to the pollution is intense and proof of this is that in 2018 were spent worldwide 85 billion dollars reversing the damages of the climatic disasters. This is certainly a sign of danger to life in a broad way. Through evidence such as this, it is possible to note the interrelationship between environment and person. It is through a perspective from indigenous peoples that the subject can be explored: they genuinely perform a sustainable relationship with the land, that is, they use their resources in a way that does not harm it, preserving it, since they are fully aware of the interdependence between subject and nature.

From this, it can also be understood more intrinsically that the proper organic functioning of the individual depends on favorable conditions in the atmosphere in which he lives. Thus, the environment, whose climate change is one of the main determinants of human health, is a space that contains life equally. That is, it is the home of each of us and deserves attention.

In these circumstances, if we want to have a good “habitation” to maintain our survival and at the same time well-being, we must ensure the preservation of the environment so that extreme climatic changes are attenuated. The continuity of embracing programs to protect the planet is highly useful, such as the existing Paris Agreement. Alongside this, and in a more local way, environmental education aimed at creating a collective consciousness would be of great value in the long-term mitigation of climatic variations.

Still, a crucial factor in this re-adaptation is the change in one’s own lifestyle: choosing foods and products that use clean energy, besides balancing damages and benefits while consuming. Exacerbated progress needs to be replaced by sustainable advancement.

It is essential that the we keep the natural environment preserved, which is a zeal for human health itself. So, it is, after all, a fundamental coexistence for life that should be respected.

About the author

Priscila Pegoretti is currently a third-semester medical student at the Universidade Regional de Blumenau(FURB) in Brazil. She is affiliated to the IFMSA BRAZIL and works as Director of Human Rights and Peace of the local committee of IFMSA BRAZIL FURB. She is highly interested in extension projects in the community that promote health and health education, essential for good human living. She is involved in research and scientific publication, especially in the areas of global health and social affairs, which enrich knowledge, because they can help in understanding the transformations that occur around the world.