Ambiente e Salute News n.12 - novembre-dicembre 2021

Abstract

Environment and health This issue goes to press shortly after the inclusion in the Italian Constitution of a law on Environmental Protection, (8th February 2022) amending two articles: Article 9 in which is added the text: "the Italian Republic ... protects environment, biodiversity and ecosystems, also in the interest of future generations", and Article 41 in which is added the text: "Private economic initiative... may not be carried out in a manner contrary to social utility or which adversely affects security, freedom, human dignity, health and the environment." This is a first step towards the perspective promoted by the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature: including the rights of Nature or of the Earth in the Constitutions gives them a legal value (https://www.garn.org/). It certainly bodes well to have written down the interests of future generations and the protection of biodiversity. Precisely for this reason we believe that It is important to stress the need to move on to concrete actions, such the necessity to control soil, air and water pollution. All this needs to be resolved now, and further delays are not tolerable. In this issue, which summarizes the main articles published in the monitored journals, a great deal of data has been collected showing that environmental contamination harms human health, and that human health rights are in line with both the duty to protect environment and the right of the Earth to be protected. This issue is based on the systematic monitoring of the November and December 2021 publications.