Extreme disparities in health exist between people in developing and industrialized countries and between the rich and poor everywhere. And environment-based health risks such as vector-borne diseases and chemical contaminants are a major cause. Many communities are still struggling with historic health problems because of lack of clean drinking water and sanitation alongside new health risks such as air pollution and exposure to pesticides brought by rapid growth and agricultural intensification. The poor in high-income countries also can suffer from inferior health. For example, inner-city children often face life expectancies similar to those in India.

The intricate relationship between environment, development, and health is now gaining more attention by researchers and governments. The World Resources Institute and World Health Organization have recently published reports on the topic. One of the main concerns is climate change, which is expected to play havoc with human health as ecosystem boundaries shift and natural systems deteriorate. The expected increase in intense weather events such as floods and droughts is of particular concern. For example, researchers at Penn State University say that the prevalence of waterborne diseases such as cryptosporidiosis could rise with increased precipitation and flooding.

Work is also going on in other areas. Government officials recently reached an international agreement in Montreal for action on persistent organic pollutants (POPs)—chemicals that resist degradation in the environment. Chemicals that disrupt human reproductive hormones—endocrine disrupters—have also surfaced as a primary health risk, motivating a re-assessment of many chemicals by the US Environment Protection Agency.

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In Depth
	Martens, Pim. Health and climate change: Modelling the impacts of global warming and ozone depletion. London, UK: Earthscan, 1998. 176p. World Resources Institute et al. World resources 1998-99: Environmental change and human health. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1998. 369 p.
Virtual Ideas
	Endocrine disrupters Web sites

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