SDG 3: good health and well-being: framing targets to maximise co-benefits for forests and people

Rosemary A. McFarlane*, John Barry, Guéladio Cissé, Maya Gislason, Marta Gruca, Kerryn Higgs, Pierre Horwitz, Giang Huu Nguyen, Jane O'Sullivan, Subhashis Sahu, Colin D. Butler

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

4 Citations (Scopus)
485 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

SDG3, Health and Wellbeing for All, depends on many other SDGs but there are also potential conflicts and trade-offs. In this chapter, ee stress the importance of forests to global health and well-being as well as for Indigenous and local populations. In contrast, short-term economic and human health gains from further forest conversion (e.g. deforestation for food production) will create direct and indirect health risks for humans, as well as for other biota. Controlling indiscriminate burning and clearing of forests can reduce significant harm to health and well-being, via improved quality of water, soil and air, by reducing exposure to some infectious diseases, through preservation of traditional (and future) medicines, and by supporting other forest resources and services, including climate regulation. Many infectious diseases are associated with forest disturbance and intrusions and some may be prevented or modified through forest management. Universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including family planning, is a critical SDG3 target to decrease demographic pressures on forests at local, regional and global scales, and to enhance well-being. Greater exposure to green space, including the ‘urban forest’, is likely to have many benefits for mental, social and physical health for the increasingly urban global population.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSustainable development goals: their impacts on forests and people
EditorsPia Katila, Carol J. Pierce Colfer, Wil de Jong, Glenn Galloway, Pablo Pacheco, Georg Winkel
PublisherCambridge University Press
Chapter3
Pages72-107
ISBN (Electronic)9781108765015
ISBN (Print)9781108486996
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 12 Dec 2019

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Earth and Planetary Sciences
  • General Environmental Science

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