Advanced Biofuels Will Slow Climate Change
April 8, 2008
Biofuels from new sources such as switchgrass and algae will soon be widely and efficiently produced, thanks to ongoing industrial biotechnology research. BIO’s World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing will present the latest research on advanced biofuels and biobased products that provide sustainable climate change solutions.
More than 25 top company executives will join 200 leaders from industry, academia and government scheduled to speak at plenary and breakout sessions during the World Congress.
The World Congress will feature a morning plenary session on Wednesday, April 30, 2008:
“Sustainable Climate Change Solutions”
- Michael J. Walsh, Executive Vice President, Chicago Climate Exchange.
- Steven Koonin, Chief Scientist, BP.
- Mauro Gregorio, Director New Business and Hydrocarbons Alternative Sources, Dow Chemical Company.
Other sessions presenting research on biofuels and climate change include:
“Creation & Commercialization of Next-Generation Advanced Biofuels”
- Bill Roe, President and CEO, Coskata.
- John Melo, CEO, Amyris Biotechnologies.
- Robert Walsh, CEO, LS9.
- John Ranieri, VP/GM, DuPont Corporation.
- William Provine, Ventures Development Manager, DuPont Biofuels.
and”Biofuels Technology to Address Climate Change”
- May Wu, Environmental Scientist, Center for Transportation Research, Argonne National Laboratory
- Robert Kramer, Director, Energy Efficiency and Reliability Center, Purdue University
- Tom Kalnes, UOP, LLC
- Manfred Ringpfeil, Professor, BIOPRACT, GmbH
The World Congress is the only global conference dedicated solely to the most recent advancements in industrial biotechnology. The 2008 World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing is co-organized by the American Chemical Society, the National Agricultural Biotechnology Council and the U.S. Department of Energy.
For a complete and up-to-date listing of program events, visit http://www.bio.org/ind/wc/08/eventProgram.asp. The event will also feature an exhibit hall, business partnering and networking opportunities, and a poster reception.
Advance media registration is available online through April 22, 2008, and is complimentary for credentialed members of the news media. To register, please visit: http://www.bio.org/news/pressreg/index.asp?multievent=25.
For more information on the 2008 World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, please visit the conference webpage at http://www.bio.org/ind/wc/08/.
Upcoming BIO Events
- BIO-Europe Spring
April 7-9, 2008
Madrid, Spain
- BIO National Venture Conference
April 22-23, 2008
Boston, Mass.
- World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology & Bioprocessing
April 27-30, 2008
Chicago, Ill.
- 2008 BIO International Convention
June 17-20, 2008
San Diego, Calif.
- Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy
Sept. 10-12
Vancouver, BC
About BIO
BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the annual BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world.
http://www.bio.org
Health Workers To Tackle Climate Change
April 8, 2008
Health workers and local authorities throughout the country are being encouraged to play their part in tackling the health effects of climate change, Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo announced
The ‘Climate Change guidance documents’ issued today provide guidance on tackling climate change and promoting sustainable communities, in order to further improve health and reduce health inequalities. The aim is to help health workers plan how to mitigate and adapt to climate change, for example the guidance documents give advice on how they can:
- design buildings that stay cool in the summer, warm in the winter and flood-resilient;
- reduce their carbon footprint and encourage others to do so;
- protect the public further through continuing public awareness campaigns such as ‘The Heatwave Plan’; and
- raise awareness of climate change and the health effects.
The guidance documents underline that the UK needs to address the threat of climate change and adapt to it. Local health professionals are asked to consider the health impacts of climate change and are informed of how societies can adapt to the most severe impacts - such as heatwaves and flooding, with adequate planning.
It is also about minimising the future effects of climate change by reducing emissions, both in the workplace and at home.
Ms Primarolo said:
“Climate change is a real threat and we must do everything we can to reduce its effects - for example by reducing our carbon footprint - but we must also learn how to adapt to it.
“Health professionals are key to communicating the health risks of climate change and I would urge them to play their part.
“The UK Government is leading the way in persuading the world that we must all turn our attention to the health effects of climate change - the WHO recently congratulated us for winning the minds of other countries.”
The guidance documents are published two months after the Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency published the ‘Health Effects of Climate Change’ which outlined some of the effects that climate change could have on the health of UK citizens if no action is taken.
The UK is leading the way in considering the health effects of climate change. At the WHO Executive Board Meeting in January, the UK put forward a resolution on the impacts of climate change on health and health systems which received overwhelming support from other countries. The WHO Director General congratulated the UK on achieving an unprecedented level of consensus. This will now go forward for consideration by the World Health Assembly in May.
The Department Health is already taking action and has been working with other departments on the development of the Adaptation Policy Framework, which will be published later this year, setting out the Government’s programme of action on climate change impacts.
Notes
1. For a copy of the guidance, go to here.
2. The joint DH and HPA report ‘Health Effects of Climate Change in the UK’ which was published on 12th Febraury 2008 can be found here.
http://www.dh.gov.uk
WHO Must Pressure Governments To Act On Climate Change, UK
April 5, 2008
The World Health Organization (WHO) must exert all of its power and influence to make sure governments take action on the critical issue of climate change, the UK’s leading public health organisations have urged.
The Faculty of Public Health (FPH), UK Public Health Association (UKPHA) and Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) have welcomed the WHO’s recognition that public health is an integral part of the climate change agenda for its World Health Day 2008, but say decisive action is needed at all levels to avert the potentially catastrophic public health impacts that climate change may bring.
World Health Day takes place on 7 April and aims to raise awareness of key global public health challenges. This year’s theme - ‘protecting health from climate change’ - is that sustainable development is inextricably linked with healthy environments and improved public health. However, say the organisations, last December’s climate change talks in Bali demonstrated how difficult it can be to reach consensus on this issue, which is why WHO has a responsibility to help mobilise governments around the world.
The worldwide public health effects of climate change are already being felt, in the form of food shortages, extreme weather events, conflict over dwindling resources and mass migration, among others. FPH, UKPHA and CIEH are working together to ensure sustainable development is a central focus of the NHS and local government agenda in the UK, and supporting public health professionals in incorporating it into their everyday working lives. But, say the organisations, concerted action is needed at international, national and local levels, with leadership and strong support from WHO.
‘Governments across the world have been far too slow to recognise that public health is at the very centre of the climate change agenda,’ said FPH president Alan Maryon-Davis. ‘We urge the WHO to use its power and influence to make sure governments face up to this humanitarian threat and make genuine progress in tackling it. FPH is working hard to support action at local level through such initiatives as our joint position statement Sustaining a healthy future - taking action on climate change. But strong international leadership is needed on what is undoubtedly the 21st century’s most serious public health issue.’
CIEH President, Stephen Battersby, said. ‘Although the public health consequences of climate change are now being recognised, there is a lack of concerted action to ensure that all those agencies whether at local or central government level, including government agencies, work together to address this great challenge. Environmental health practitioners in this country and around the world will be at the forefront of dealing with and mitigating the effects within communities. The CIEH is working to ensure that these practitioners are properly equipped to face this challenge. The WHO’s initiative will help to highlight range of skills and expertise required and it is hoped in turn this make governments act.’
UKPHA Chief Executive, Angela Mawle, said. ‘It is imperative that public health communities across the globe support the WHO in its call for action on climate change. There are no greater threats to the health of humanity than those posed by climate change and environmental degradation and at no time has there been a greater need for powerful leadership and advocacy from all those involved in sustaining and advancing the health of the public.’
Notes
1. For media enquiries contact FPH Press & Media: 020 7935 3115 or 07717 000 681. Interviews can be arranged with: FPH President Alan Maryon Davis; UKPHA Chief Executive Angela Mawle; CIEH President Steve Battersby
2. The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) is the leading professional body for public health specialists in the UK. It aims to promote and protect the health of the population, and improve health services, by maintaining professional and educational standards, advocating on key public health issues, and providing practical information and guidance for public health professionals. It has produced a guide to tackling climate change within the health sector - Sustaining a Healthy Future available from: http://www.fph.org.uk
3. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) is the professional voice for environmental health. It ensures the highest standards of professional competence in its members, in the belief that through environmental health action people’s health and well-being can be improved. The CIEH represents over 10,000 members working in the public (including the armed forces), private and non-profit sectors addressing issues such as housing conditions, water quality, food safety and pest management. For more information about the CIEH visit http://www.cieh.org
4. The UKPHA is an independent, UK wide voluntary association, which brings together through its membership, individuals and organisations from all sectors, sharing a common commitment to promoting the public’s health. The organisation seeks to promote the development of healthy public policy at all levels of government and across all sectors. It acts as an information platform and aims to support those working in public health both professionally or in a voluntary capacity.
UKPHA continues to influence at national, regional and local levels. Focussing on its three key priorities -combating health inequalities, promoting sustainable development, challenging anti-health forces - http://www.ukpha.org.uk
Faculty of Public Health
Ayurvedic Nightshade Deadly For Dengue Mosquito
April 3, 2008
Mosquitoes responsible for spreading disease are increasingly becoming resistant to synthetic insecticides. Now research published in the online open access journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine suggests that the berries of a weed common to India, Solanum villosum (S villosum), have potential for keeping mosquitoes at bay.
S. villosum is a member of the nightshade family known for its medicinal properties and commonly used as an ayurvedic herb.
Nandita Chowdhury, Anupam Ghosh and Goutam Chandra from Burdwan University, West Bengal, India used juice and extracts from the berries of S. villosum, on Stegomyia aegypti, (S. aegypti), which can spread a number of viruses including dengue fever and yellow fever and is commonly known as the yellow fever mosquito.
The authors found that S. villosum was particularly effective at eliminating S. aegypti larvae. Although it was not as potent as a chemical insecticide such as Malathion, the authors suggest that plant extracts from S. villosum have the potential for use in stagnant water where the mosquitoes breed. The next step is to identify the active compounds in the berries and to test whether these are effective in field trials.
“We found that these plants produce two types of phytochemicals.’ says Chandra. ‘The most interesting are the secondary phytochemicals, such as steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids and alkaloids - these act as a repellent which protect against the lethal effects of the larval mosquitoes.’
A number of plants have been reported for their anti-mosquito activity. Most of the studies report the active compounds to be steroidal saponins, which are thought to kill larvae by interfering with their cuticle membranes. However, only a few botanicals have moved from the laboratory to field use.
Around two-fifths of the World’s population is at risk from dengue fever, which is characterized by a high fever, pain and rashes. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a potentially lethal complication, affecting mainly children.
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1. Mosquito larvicidal activities of Solanum villosum berry extract against the dengue vector Stegomyia aegypti
Nandita Chowdhury, Anupam Ghosh and Goutam Chandra
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (in press)
Article available at the journal website: http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmccomplementalternmed/
All articles are available free of charge, according to BioMed Central’s open access policy.
2. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine is an open access journal publishing original peer-reviewed research articles in complementary and alternative healthcare interventions, with a specific emphasis on those that elucidate biological mechanisms of action. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (ISSN 1472-6882) is indexed/tracked/covered by PubMed, MEDLINE, CAS, Scopus, EMBASE and Google Scholar.
3. BioMed Central (http://www.biomedcentral.com/) is an independent online publishing house committed to providing immediate access without charge to the peer-reviewed biological and medical research it publishes. This commitment is based on the view that open access to research is essential to the rapid and efficient communication of science.
Source: Charlotte Webber
BioMed Central
Potential Public Health Threat From Heavy Metals In The Peak District, UK
April 2, 2008
Bacteria that consume heavy metals have been found in some of the most contaminated parts of the Peak District in the Southern Pennines and may be changing the pollutants into more toxic forms that could leak out into reservoirs, scientists heard at the Society for General Microbiology’s 162nd meeting at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
The U.K. has approximately 10 - 15 % of the total global area of blanket bog and it covers about 8% of our total land surface. Many of the water gathering areas in the UK are located in upland blanket peat environments. It is estimated that around 16 million people live within 1 hours travelling time of the park boundary.
“Millions of people rely both directly and indirectly on the health and conservation of the Peak District National Park,” says Dr Patricia Linton from Manchester Metropolitan University. “We have established which bacteria are dominant in the Southern Pennines. Any changes in the bacterial diversity could affect the delicate balance of the ecosystem and the health of the flora and fauna of the area.”
The inter-disciplinary team of researchers has found that there is a split in the types of bacteria present, with extreme bacteria dominating in areas with the highest levels of heavy metals. “Heavy metal pollution is likely to be a key factor in influencing bacterial species composition,” says Dr Linton. “Some of the bacteria we found in Peak District grow using iron and sulphur as an energy source. Some produce acid, which may be further acidifying the bog environment.”
Many heavy metals become more soluble at low pH and therefore more toxic to plants and animals and more susceptible to leaching from the soil into waterways. Bacteria may be contributing to the release of toxic heavy metals and this may have severe implications for plant and animal health and water quality.
Climate change may make blanket bogs more susceptible to erosion and the release of stored carbon from these bog soils is of major global concern. “Bacteria in the soil increase the carbon stored in the bog environment and help protect against erosion processes,” says Dr Linton. “Changes in bacterial diversity make these areas more at risk from carbon release processes. This in turn may exacerbate climate change and change ecosystem functioning”
The high level of heavy metals is due to the history of atmospheric pollution in these areas. This work shows that historical contaminants are still having an effect many years after first being deposited. The researchers have started to quantify the effects of long-term historical heavy metal pollution on plants and animals in the area. Information about the bacterial species present could be used as an indicator of the health and fertility of peat bogs.
“Blanket bogs in the Peak District have significant international importance for nature conservation, and provide a habitat for many rare plants, such as Bog Rosemary and wild orchids, birds like the Golden Plover and animals including the rare Mountain Hare. They are also an important recreational resource,” says Dr Linton. “Future work will ensure that people can enjoy the beautiful Peak District National Park and all of its important natural resources for generations to come.”
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Source: Lucy Goodchild
Society for General Microbiology
Family Study Bolsters Link Between Pesticides And Parkinson’s
March 29, 2008
For the first time, the association between Parkinson’s disease and exposure to pesticides has been shown in patients with the neurological disorder compared with their unaffected relatives, according to a study in the online open access journal BMC Neurology.
Parkinson’s disease is a common neurological disorder affecting about 1 million people in the USA. The disorder typically develops in later life resulting in symptoms such as tremors and muscle rigidity
Although variations in several genes have been identified that contribute to the disease, these rare genetic defects account for a small proportion of the overall prevalence of the disorder.
The majority of Parkinson’s disease cases are thought to be due to an interaction between genetic and environmental factors.
“Previous studies have shown that individuals with Parkinson’s disease are over twice as likely to report being exposed to pesticides as unaffected individuals” says the study’s lead author, Dana Hancock, “but few studies have looked at this association in people from the same family or have assessed associations between specific classes of pesticides and Parkinson’s disease.”
The study of related individuals who share environmental and genetic backgrounds that might contribute to Parkinson’s disease enables researchers to identify specific differences in exposures between individuals with and without the disease. The research team from Duke University Medical Center (Durham, NC) and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Morris K. Udall Parkinson Disease Research Center of Excellence (Miami, FL, USA) recruited 319 patients and over 200 relatives. They used telephone interviews to obtain histories of pesticide exposure, living or working on a farm, and well-water drinking.
The authors detected an association between pesticide use and Parkinson’s disease. Among these, the strongest were between the disorder and use of herbicides and insecticides, such as organochlorides and organophosphates. No association was found between Parkinson’s disease and well-water drinking or living or working on a farm, which are two commonly used proxies for pesticide exposures.
Many studies have supported pesticides as a risk factor for PD, but “biological evidence is presently insufficient to conclude that pesticide exposure causes PD”, says Hancock. “Further investigation of these specific pesticides and others may lead to identification of pertinent biological pathways influencing PD development.” In addition future genetic studies of Parkinson’s disease should consider the influence of pesticides, since exposure to pesticides may provide a trigger for the disease in genetically predisposed individuals.
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Dramatic Developments At Kilauea Volcano: Scientists Work To Keep Public Safe And Informed
March 28, 2008
Explosive eruptions and noxious gas emissions at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii this week have prompted scientists to work around the clock to understand what will happen next and how to keep the public out of harm’s way.
Scientists are monitoring gas emissions and seismic activity at Kilauea, which on March 19 experienced its first explosive eruption since 1924. The volcano is also emitting sulfur dioxide at toxic levels.
The National Park Service has closed Crater Rim Drive through the south caldera area until further notice. The U.S. Geological Survey is issuing frequent updates, which can be accessed at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/.
Sulfur dioxide emissions at the volcano’s summit have increased to a rate that is likely to be hazardous for areas downwind of Halema’uma’u crater. Future explosions from Halema’uma’u Crater are possible.
“This historic activity has created new hazards that did not exist before - explosive eruptions as well as toxic sulfur dioxide emissions - in the middle of a national park,” said U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program Coordinator John Eichelberger. “Our job is to give emergency responders and the civil defense community the very best information we can provide about what the volcano is doing and what it is likely to do in the future.”
Listen to a podcast interview with Dr. Eichelberger describing the activity at Kilauea in episode 35 of CoreCast at http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/.
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The USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information, visit http://www.usgs.gov/.
Source: Clarice Nassif Ransom
United States Geological Survey
Ducks And Rice Play Key Role In Avian Influenza Outbreaks
March 27, 2008
Ducks, people and rice paddies - rather than chickens - are the major factors behind outbreaks of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Thailand and Viet Nam, and are probably behind outbreak persistence in other countries of the region such as Cambodia and Lao PDR.
In “Mapping H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza risk in Southeast Asia: ducks, rice and people”, just published in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States (PNAS), a group of experts from FAO and associated research centers looked at the series of waves of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Thailand and Viet Nam between early 2004 and late 2007.
Initiated and coordinated by FAO senior veterinary officer Jan Slingenbergh, the researchers applied a modelling technique to establish how different factors contributed to spread of the virus, including the numbers of ducks, geese and chickens, human population size, rice cultivation and local geography. The numbers of ducks and people, and the extent of rice cultivation emerged as the most significant factors, even though the two countries had fought outbreaks in two different ways.
Strong link
The paper notes that there is a strong link between duck grazing patterns and rice cropping intensity. Ducks feed mainly on leftover rice grains in harvested paddy fields, so free-ranging ducks in both countries are moved to many different sites in line with rice harvest patterns.
In Thailand, for example, the proportion of young ducks in flocks was found to peak in September-October; these rapidly growing young ducks can therefore benefit from the peak of the rice harvest in November-December. Meat ducks are slaughtered around the Chinese New Year, a time when the volume of sales-related duck movement rises considerably.
These peaks in congregation of ducks indicate periods in which there is an increase in the chances for virus release and exposure, and rice paddies often become a temporary habitat for wild bird species.
Defining this pattern was made possible through the use of satellite mapping of rice paddy agriculture over time, cropping intensity and duck grazing locations. The intersections among these, together with the chronology of disease outbreaks, helped the scientists pinpoint critical situations in time when HPAI risk was greatest.
Virus evolution may become easier to predict
According to Slingenbergh, “we now know much better where and when to expect H5N1 flare-ups, and this helps to target prevention and control. In addition, with virus persistence becoming increasingly confined to areas with intensive rice-duck agriculture in eastern and southeastern Asia, evolution of the H5N1 virus may become easier to predict.”
FAO estimates that approximately 90 percent of the world’s 1.044 billion domestic ducks are in Asia. China and Viet Nam account for the bulk of this - 775 million or 75 percent.Thailand has about 11 million ducks.
In Thailand during 2007, long-distance duck travelling greatly diminished because farmers and traders had to provide a health certificate for the animals. The local movements of ducks decreased when the government started to support in-door keeping of ducks, offering feed subsidies and construction of enclosures. Together, these measures stopped the H5N1 transmission cycle and since late 2007 Thailand has suffered only sporadic outbreaks.
Viet Nam started nationwide vaccination of all poultry at the end of 2007, including the Mekong delta which is home to 50 million ducks. This large-scale vaccination was repeated in 2007/07. Initially, human infections disappeared and levels of disease in poultry fell noticeably. Only gradually did H5N1 viruses re-appear, mostly in unvaccinated ducks and particularly in the Mekong delta.
Now, says Slingenbergh, interventions based on knowledge of hotspots and local rice-duck calendars is called for, in order to target disease control and replace indiscriminate mass vaccination.
http://www.fao.org
Workshop Focusus On Ensuring Food Security In A Changing Climate
March 26, 2008
Climate change may limit global agricultural productivity and economic development by placing crops under stress due to rising temperatures and increased demand for water. Changing environmental conditions may also increase plant stress by intensifying plant pests and diseases.
In an upcoming two-day workshop at Penn State, international experts representing many different fields from climate modeling, through ecology, to plant biology and systems biology will address the challenges relating to plant stress, identify areas for potential collaboration and map out potential responses to this challenge.
The Global Plant Stress Initiative workshop will be held from April 6-8, 2008, jointly hosted by Penn State, the University of Leeds, United Kingdom and the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN). WUN partner universities have considerable expertise in plant stress biology but are joined in this initiative by faculty from many other centers of excellence around the world.
Using the WUN framework, the researchers will meet to make real progress about how to meet the increasing need for food globally in the face of increasing risks to agricultural productivity from traditional farming techniques. The event will have three main themes: global climate change, agricultural productivity and plant stress, and the molecular basis of plant stress.
The goals of the workshop are to identify research and education projects eligible for seed funding from the WUN and establish a roadmap for future research and action.
“Stress is very important in plant biology,” said Jonathan Lynch, professor of plant nutrition at Penn State and workshop co-chair. “A plant is under stress if temperature is too high or too low, if there is too much water or too little of it, or there aren’t enough nutrients. Most plants on earth are dealing with some type of stress.”
The Worldwide Universities Network, formed in 2001, comprises leading universities in U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia that pool their resources and strengths to address topics of major significance, such as wireless technologies, poverty, environment and climate change, contemporary societies, spintronics and global health.
The goal is for WUN partners to secure substantial support from government and industry to sustain one or more major global collaborative initiatives in this area.
In his research, Lynch focuses on solutions that are independent of infrastructure, education and additional investment.
“If you look at poor countries in east Africa, people live in remote places without electricity and have little contact with the outside world or even their own government,” he said. “But if you can them supply them with improved seeds that grow better in harsh conditions and produce more food, the women who plant and grow these crops will exchange the seeds with others, and over time a larger number of people will benefit.”
The Penn State researcher is currently working on nutrient-efficient seeds - for maize and common bean, the staple crops in east Africa - that will help plants grow with less nutrients and water.
“Climate change models suggest there will be an increase in temperature, and the main effect on plant growth is going to be increased demand for water,” Lynch explained. “As the temperature rises gradually, plants will use up more water through transpiration.”
Lynch and his colleagues have identified certain root traits that help plants thrive in harsh conditions. He says breeders can select for these traits and develop crop varieties that will grow better in those harsh conditions.
“This has not happened before because the focus was always on maximizing yield when there are enough nutrients and water available to the plants. But what if there is no fertilizer and irrigation”" Lynch said.
The new approach, he adds, is getting attention in the United State and Europe. “People in the West are starting to get concerned because the cost of fertilizer is rising due to higher prices of oil,” he notes.
Penn State is a founding member of the WUN partnership, which spans more than 3,000 students and scientists from 16 universities worldwide while tackling some of society’s most pressing problems, fueled by more than $40 million in research funds.
“WUN therefore is well suited to address an issue of the magnitude, scope, and complexity of plant stress,” says Lynch. “Understanding the complex and highly variable effects of global change will require the concerted effort of international scientists to study the varying and localized effects around the world and to share that information with the people of developing solutions.”
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WUN information is at: http://www.wun.ac.uk/
Workshop details are at http://www.wun.ac.uk/plant_stress/workshop.html
Source: Amitabh Avasthi
Penn State
6 In 10 Africans Remain Without Access To Proper Toilet: Poor Sanitation Threatens Public Health
March 26, 2008
Sixty-two percent of Africans do not have access to an improved sanitation facility — a proper toilet — which separates human waste from human contact, according to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation. A global report will be released later this year, however, preliminary data on the situation in Africa was released today as part of World Water Day 2008. The Day, built around the theme that “Sanitation Matters,” seeks to draw attention to the plight of some 2.6 billion people around the world who live without access to even a toilet at home and thus are vulnerable to a range of health risks.
Using proper toilets and hand-washing - preferably with soap - prevents the transfer of bacteria, viruses and parasites found in human excreta which otherwise contaminate water resources, soil and food. This contamination is a major cause of diarrhoea, the second biggest killer of children in developing countries, and leads to other major diseases such as cholera, schistosomiasis, and trachoma.
“Sanitation is a cornerstone of public health” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO’s Director-General. “Improved sanitation contributes enormously to human health and wellbeing. We know that simple, achievable interventions reduce the risk of contracting diarrhoeal disease by a third. Sanitation matters because a toilet at home spares a family from illness, health care expenses, and time lost from work and school.”
“Nearly forty per cent of the world’s population lacks access to toilets, and the dignity and safety that they provide,” said Ann M. Veneman, UNICEF Executive Director. “The absence of adequate sanitation has a serious impact on health and social development, especially for children. Investments in improving sanitation will accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and save lives.”
Improving access to sanitation is a critical step towards reducing the impact of these diseases. It also helps create physical environments that enhance safety, dignity and self-esteem. Safety issues are particularly important for women and children, who otherwise risk sexual harassment and assault when defecating at night and in secluded areas.
Also, improving sanitation facilities and promoting hygiene in schools benefits both learning and the health of children. Child-friendly schools that offer private and separate toilets for boys and girls, as well as facilities for hand-washing with soap, are better equipped to attract and retain students, especially girls. Where such facilities are not available, girls are often withdrawn from school when they reach puberty.
In health-care facilities, safe disposal of human waste of patients, staff and visitors is an essential environmental health measure. This intervention can contribute to the reduction of the transmission of health-care associated infections which affect 5 to 30 percent of patients.
Although WHO and UNICEF estimate that 1.2 billion people worldwide gained access to improved sanitation between 1990 and 2004, an estimated 2.6 billion people - including 980 million children - had no toilets at home. If current trends continue, there will still be 2.4 billion people without basic sanitation in 2015, and the children among them will continue to pay the price in lost lives, missed schooling, in disease, malnutrition and poverty.
“The focus on sanitation is fundamental to human beings,” says Pasquale Steduto, UN-Water chairman. “MDG target on sanitation is seriously lagging behind schedule. The entire UN System has a shared responsibility in mobilizing concrete actions toward its achievement; investments must increase immediately.” UN-Water is the coordinating mechanism of the UN agencies, programmes and funds that play a significant role in tackling global water and sanitation concerns.
World Water Day provides an opportunity to draw attention to the International Year of Sanitation 2008; a year in which the United Nations General Assembly in December 2007 has called for a focus on addressing sanitation and hygiene problems.
The International Year of Sanitation 2008 aims to raise the profile of sanitation issues on the international agenda and to accelerate progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal target of reducing by half the proportion of people living without access to improved sanitation by 2015. Within the United Nations system, the focal point for the International Year of Sanitation is the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in collaboration with the UN-Water Task Force on Sanitation.
Sanitation is not a dirty word. Sanitation matters.
Please visit http://www.sanitationyear2008.org and http://www.unwater.org.
http://www.unicef.org
