Global Climate Change and Human Health: From Science to Practice, 2nd Edition

Chapter 29: Ecosystem Services

Ecosystem services are the benefits that nature provides to people. Many of these benefits flowing from nature influence some aspects of human health. Climate change is altering natural ecosystems on earth through a myriad of pathways thus changing their ability to provide services to people, resulting in varied human health outcomes. We have discussed how various ecosystem services affect human health and described how climate change might disrupt or alter the delivery of those services. We conclude with examples of ecosystem management activities that present possible solutions for mitigating the health effects of climate change’s disruption of ecosystem services.