Eco-cultural health, global health, and sustainability

Anthropogenic stress on the earth’s ecosystems has resulted in widespread prevalence of ecosystem distress syndrome, a quantifiable set of signs of ecosystem degradation. At the same time, the planet is witnessing rapid declines in global cultural diversity and in the vitality of the world’s cultures, which closely mirror, and are interrelated with, ecological degradation. As a consequence of this converging crisis of loss of ecosystem and cultural health, global health and sustainability are increasingly under threat. An eco-cultural health perspective based on understanding the linkages between human activities, ecological and cultural disruption, and public health is essential for addressing these threats and achieving global sustainability.