NAIROBI, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The international community should adopt progressive measures aimed at containing the escalating threats to human and planetary health, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) said in a new report.
Some of these emerging threats to the health of habitats and communities include unregulated use of artificial intelligence (AI), competition for natural resources, growing inequalities and declining trust in institutions, says the report compiled by UNEP and the International Science Council.
The report, titled Navigating New Horizons -- A global foresight report on planetary health and human wellbeing, noted that technological, geopolitical and economic shifts have intensified threats to ecosystems that support livelihoods.
Identified by hundreds of global experts through inclusive stakeholder consultations, these rapid changes have already amplified existing planetary crises of climate change, habitat loss, pollution and waste, according to the report, which was launched Monday evening.
The report says that demand for critical minerals to facilitate the green transition could increase fourfold by 2040 amid the risk of escalating biodiversity loss, pollution and conflicts.
In addition, the report observes that the thawing of permafrost due to global warming may lead to the release of lethal pathogens, jeopardizing human, animal and environmental health.
"As the impacts of multiple crises intensify, now is the time to get ahead of the curve and protect ourselves from emerging challenges," said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.
Andersen said that enhanced vigilance, as highlighted in the report, is required to tame disruptions to ecological balance linked to new technologies and geopolitical tensions.
The report also says that the adoption of AI and other new digital tools, which has brought some benefits, could also compromise ecological integrity through intensive use of rare earth elements and water resources to support data centers.
Moreover, armed conflicts and forced displacements have escalated pollution and ecosystem degradation, taking a toll on vulnerable demographics like women, youth and children, according to the report.
To help the world prepare for and withstand the anticipated shocks to the environment and human health, the report calls for the adoption of progressive policies, agile governance and increasing access to knowledge and data.
Peter Gluckman, the president of the International Science Council, said that addressing these future risks to planetary and human health effectively requires multi-stakeholder engagement. ■
