African Environmental and Human Security in the 21st Century By Helen E. Purkitt

African Environmental and Human Security in the 21st Century By ...

Chapter 1:

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how quickly disease can spread and highlights the need for a responsive, preventative, and proactive public health policy.

The connection between the rise of infectious diseases and the degradation of the environment is clear. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),

poor environmental health quality is directly responsible for some 25 percent of all preventable ill health, with diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections heading the list. Two-thirds of all preventable ill health due to environmental conditions occurs among children, particularly the increase in asthma. Air pollution is a major contributor to a number of diseases and to a lowering of the quality of life in general.⁴⁴

Moreover, the 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment report claims that continued degradation of ecosystems may increase the spread of common diseases such as malaria, as well as facilitate the evolution of new diseases.⁴⁵ States with inadequate (or no) public health support systems will be most vulnerable and least able to respond. Even developed states that do have such systems will be stressed, and if faced with a true health emergency, may be ineffective, possibly losing society's trust. Of course, food and environmental insecurities and poverty exacerbate health insecurities, and vice versa. While developed countries are facing declining birth rates and the health challenges associated with aging populations, developing countries’ health insecurities, notably high infant and child mortality rates, help to drive high birth rates, as parents want to ensure that at least some of their children reach adulthood. Ironically, it is these areas that suffer the most acute array of human insecurities that have the highest population growth rates, a combination of factors that exponentially increases misery and suffering.

Radicalization

Bruce Hoffman explained that terrorism is dangerous, but the real danger is the potential it has to spark a political movement. It is these radical ideas that pose a great threat to peace and stability.⁴⁶ Why is radical Islam