Ecological public health, Harmful Algal Blooms and Climate Change

17th International Conference on Harmful Algae (ICHA), 9-14 October 2016, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.-- 1 page
Lang and Rayner's concept of "Ecological Public Health" attempts to integrate the material, biological, social, and cultural aspects of public health. Furthermore, this perspective has broadened in scope from the local, regional and national to encompass a more planetary view of the interactions between the health of the environment and humans. These concepts and challenges can be illustrated in the complex interactions between Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), climate change, and human health. HABs have existed for millennia, impacting on human health usually through exposure to the HAB biotoxins bio-accumulated and transmitted through the food chain. More recently, with increasing direct and indirect anthropogenic pressures and drivers, HAB occurrence could expand temporally and geographically. The future trends of HABs are unclear in a world of climate and other environmental change, yet the potential risk of exposure and health impacts for humans and other organisms makes this an urgent area for research. In particular, given the historically narrow focus of public health with regards to both HABs and climate change, a new approach is needed. Taking an ecological public health approach would mean greater integration and collaboration not only between different scientific disciplines, but also between the different groups and entities involved in all aspects of HABs. Recent examples of these kinds of efforts can be seen with collaborations around Ciguatera, Florida red tide, the One Health Harmful Algal Bloom System (OHHABS), Ostreopsis, and the recently launched GlobalHAB Programme. Ecological public health provides both an opportunity and a challenge for seeking a more truly interdisciplinary collaboration and a wider vision of the interconnections between HABs, climate change, human behavior, and the future health of both humans and the planet