Suchergebnisse

In April 2012, the circumpolar research community gathered in Montre´al, Canada, to discuss their most recent research findings related to the International Polar Year (IPY). The conference was titled From Knowledge to Action, and its organisation and structure emphasised the importance of transmission of new knowledge generated by IPY projects to a variety of knowledge users, ranging from community members to national and international policy makers. The issue of knowledge exchange, mobilisation, or translation is critical to Arctic health and has received relatively little attention in the past but is becoming increasingly important for a number of reasons. It raises interesting and important questions for the research, funding and policy communities that are discussed using several case examples in this supplement.(Published: 10 September 2012)Citation: Int J Circumpolar Health 2012, 71: 19265 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v71i0.19265

We need to critically assess the present quality of the marine ecosystem, especially the connection between ecosystem change and threats to human health. In this article we review the current state of indicators to link changes in marine organisms with eventual effects to human health, identify research opportunities in the use of indicators of ocean and human health, and discuss how to establish collaborations between national and international governmental and private sector groups. We present a synthesis of the present state of understanding of the connection between ocean health and human health, a discussion of areas where resources are required, and a discussion of critical research needs and a template for future work in this field. To understand fully the interactions between ocean health and human health, programs should be organized around a "models-based" approach focusing on critical themes and attributes of marine environmental and public health risks. Given the extent and complex nature of ocean and human health issues, a program networking across geographic and disciplinary boundaries is essential. The overall goal of this approach would be the early detection of potential marine-based contaminants, the protection of marine ecosystems, the prevention of associated human illness, and by implication, the development of products to enhance human well-being. The tight connection between research and monitoring is essential to develop such an indicator-based effort.