Nelly Niwa

Construites sur une energie abondante et bon marche, les societes dans lesquelles nous vivons aujourd’hui sont confrontees a l’imperatif de changer de paradigme. Depuis les chocs petroliers des annees 1970, l’idee qu’une transition energetique – a savoir une modification de nos modes de consommation et de production d’energie – est necessaire a nos societes suit son chemin. Les enjeux strategiques quant a notre dependance ne sont pas la seule raison de vouloir une transition. S’y ajoute la necessite de faire baisser nos emissions de gaz a effet de serre, qui contribuent au rechauffement climatique global. Suite a la catastrophe de Fukushima en 2011, le gouvernement et le parlement suisse ont decide d’une strategie energetique 2050, qui prevoit une transition energetique. L’objectif est de passer d’une societe energivore fondee sur l’utilisation d’energies fossiles et nucleaires a une societe econome basee sur des ressources energetiques renouvelables. Si cet objectif necessite bien ...

The health of ecosystems and human health are closely linked. Interdisciplinary approaches and initiatives such as "One-Health," "EcoHealth," and, more recently, "Planetary Health" articulate this link. The three concepts are based on recognizing the interdependence between living organisms, both human and non-human, and their ecosystems. And yet, we are living in a time when human activity is leading to a profound degradation of the environment all over the world. Nine planetary boundaries for earth system processes have been proposed who's critical thresholds should not be crossed if we want to maintain our ecosystems and avoid risk of unwelcome outcomes: 1) climate change, 2) loss of biodiversity, 3) disturbances in biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen and phosphorus, 4) deforestation and changes in land use, 5) chemical pollution, 6) ocean acidification, 7) depletion of the ozone layer, 8) the degradation of drinking water, and 9) aerosol pollution...

Global warming is considered by most scientists as one of the greatest public health threats of the 21st century. Some individual behaviours and consumption habits related to the food and mobility sectors are responsible for a high amount of CO2 emissions, the main greenhouse gas. Thus, some messages promoted by health professionals will have an impact on the fight against the epidemic of lifestyle-related chronic diseases but will also have an environmental co-benefit. With a population increasingly aware of current environmental issues, environmental considerations could be an additional motivating factor for patients when promoting a healthier diet or physical activity.

The Geneva region is mostly known for its urban character, but it also has a significant rural dimension because about half its territory is indeed dedicated to rural activities. Until recently, cultivated areas have resisted urbanisation pressure well thanks to a green ring and to specific federal laws. However, the recent changes in Swiss agricultural policy and the development needs of the region have altered this balance between agriculture and urbanisation. Within the new Master Plan of the Geneva Canton, agricultural spaces are considered as areas of future urbanisation. This situation endangers local agriculture that might lose some of its best market garden areas situated in the expanded urban centre. At the same time, the Geneva Canton is developing various strategies to strengthen the links with its agriculture.