TEHRAN - September 26 has been declared by the International Federation of Environmental Health, as the World Environmental Health Day.

The theme for the 2023 World Environmental Health Day is “Global Environmental Public Health: Standing up to protect everyone's health each and every day.”

Environmental health is one of the largest fields within public health because of the myriad ways external forces can impact how people eat, live, and grow. These forces can be about addressing our natural environment (as in the case of clean water or sanitation), but they can also be the consequence of human beings' actions.

According to the World Health Organization, global environmental issues account for more than 12.6 million deaths each year. The issues mentioned, include soil pollution, ultraviolet radiation, and biodiversity loss.

According to the data, more than 100 illnesses and injuries can be directly linked to environmental health concerns. Often, these issues have the greatest impact on communities that are poor and already have significant healthcare vulnerabilities.

At least 155 countries recognize their citizens have the right to live in a healthy environment, either through national legislation or international accords. Despite those protections, the World Health Organization estimates that 23 percent of all deaths are linked to “environmental risks” like land and air pollution, water contamination, and chemical exposure.

The last decade was the hottest in human history and we are already experiencing the impacts of climate change, with wildfires, floods, and hurricanes becoming regular events that threaten lives, livelihoods, and food security.

Climate change also affects the survival of microbes, facilitating the spread of viruses, and expanding the range of vectors. If no action is taken, pandemics are likely to occur more frequently, spread more rapidly, have greater economic impact, and kill more people.

A primary activity of any public health strategy is information sharing. By understanding what the risks are, environmental health professionals can better deploy resources to protect everyone’s health each and every day.