Abstract

The combination of environmental degradation and environmental health risks has spawned the branch of environmental health economics, which combines ecological, medical, and economic components to deal with imperative risks we now face in the 21st century. This chapter evaluates three interconnected aspects, which are that environmental degradation has identifiable effects on human health, that environmental degradation represents an economical burden and that to address the negative condition of the environment, the application of policy measures merits sensible solutions. It explores both direct and indirect mechanisms connecting pollution, toxic waste, pesticides, disastrous weather, and biodiversity destruction to diseases in areas including asthma and cardiovascular disease to vector-borne and zoonotic outbreaks with specific regard to the vulnerable population. The economic impact is evaluated in terms of medical expenditures, costs and productivity, premature death and generational costs which included the estimates of the loss of Indian GDP. Policy tools, market-based incentives, regulation, nudges, and global integrated frameworks, such as the HiAP of WHO, EU Green Deal, and SDGs are examined in terms of co-benefits. The chapter is concluded with the statement that resilient, equitable, and sustainable systems encompass cross-disciplinary strategies and high investments aimed at achieving returns both in health and economically.

Keywords: Environmental Health, Health Economics, Pollution, Climate Change, Economic Evaluation, Public Health Policy, Sustainable Development.

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