Chapter 7: Biodiversity, the Healthy Society, and the
Debatable Issues of the 21st Century
Good Health is a condition of being away from illness and diseases not just
physically but also emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Having good health is
dependent on many factors including economic status and environmental conditions.
Health is an indicator of sustainable development and the most basic human
right.Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms, not just rare and endangered forms
of life, nor just big and attractive animals and plants. It includes every living thing- the
common, the ordinary, the ugly, and even those organisms invisible to the naked eye. It
also refers to more than individual specie. It includes the genes they contain, and the
ecosystem and habitats of which they are part of. Biodiversity is the foundation of
human health. The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity can provide
significant benefit to health. The relationship between biodiversity and human health is
extensive and complex simply because the conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity have positiveimpacts on human health. The continuing loss of biodiversity
on global scale represents a direct threat to health and well-being. A healthy global
environment is capable of supporting a diversity of life. (World Health Organization,
2010).
Biodiversity is an essential element for supporting life on earth. The condition of
the natural environment depends entirely on the continuing diversity. If one species is
lost from the ecosystem, all of the other species in the ecosystem are affected. The loss
of these life forms could affect the entire ecosystem governing the environment.
According to the World Health Organization there are major threats to biodiversity that
are identified by the United Nations Environmental programs and they are as follows: 1)
habitat loss and destruction, 2) alterations in ecosystem composition, 3) over
exploitation, 4) pollution and contamination, and 5) global climate change. It is therefore
important toproperly administer agricultural productivity and sustainable use of natural
resources. Biological diversity also ensures clean air, water, and fertile soils for
sustainable development.
Aside from the promise of a better health foods and restoring healthier condition
of the natural environment, there are other debatable issues of the 21st century such as
the biotechnology, GMOs, the nano technology, gene therapy, and climate change.
A. Biotechnology
Biotechnology aims to help professionals in managing, conserving, and using
plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Biotechnology uses biological systems,
living organisms, or derivatives thereof to make or modify products or processes for
specific use. Particularly, it aims to develop new development precision tools and
diagnostics; speed up breeding gains and efficiency; develop pest and disease resistant
crops; combat salinity, drought, and problems of agriculture; enhance the nutritional
quality of food; increase crop varieties and choice; reduce inputs and production cost;
and increase profits (Bragdon et al., 2005).
The book, “Managing Innovation in Biotechnology” reported in 2006 that for
more than two decades, the biotechnology sector experienced an important growth
because it is a dynamic business with many challenges in new product developments to
improve the quality of life of humans and animals. The company develops a new
method for selling its products in the market and granting licences and patents to other
companies. There are two important lines of research for bio-technology that gives
profits, 1) the DNA (Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid), and 2) genetic engineering. Genetic
engineering is a technique that allows genes and DNA to be transferred from one source to another. This leads to the production of living modified organisms (LMOs) or
genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Some of the advantages of biotech are: 1)
Reduce pollution and waste; 2) Decrease the use of energy, raw materials and water; 3)
Lead to better quality food products; 4) Create new materials and biofuels from waste;
and 5) Provide an alternative to some chemical processes.
B. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
The World Health Organization defines GMO as an organism, either plant,
animals, or microorganism in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a
way that does not occur naturally by mating or natural recombination. The development
of GMOs was perceived to help in the advancement of science and technology for the
benefit of human beings. It also aims to address the issues of food security, agriculture,
drug production, and nutrition. GMOs are known as transgenic organisms because this
process involves the transfer of genes.
The Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health (CEEH, 2013) identified
the characteristics of GMOs in food and agriculture: 1) pest resistance, 2) virus
resistance, 3) herbicide tolerance, 4) fortification, 5) cosmetic preservation, 6) increase
growth rate, 7) flower production, 8) paper production, 9) pharmaceutical production,
10) bioremediation 11) enzyme and drug production, and 12) medical treatment.
Research studies revealed some conflicting arguments such as whether
consumption of GMOs crops is beneficial or harmful to human health. There are also
counter arguments either opposing health risk claims or suggesting that GMOs provide
more benefits than harm. However, the most notable GMO risks to human are the
potential development of allergens and toxicity from GMO related crops. Studies also
show that GMO crops potentially increase the nutritional value of foods. Here are some
of the benefits and risks of GMOs by Serafica et al., 2018.
