Health

Recent studies have brought to light a series of interacting and complex relationships, many with negative feedback loops, between HIV/AIDS and the environment. A comprehensive examination of these relationships and analyses of the quality and breadth of the evidence are lacking.

The Earth's biodiversity-the rich variety of life on our planet-is disappearing at an alarming rate. And while many books have focused on the expected ecological consequences, or on the aesthetic, ethical, sociological, or economic dimensions of this loss, Sustaining Life is the first book to examine the full range of potential threats that diminishing biodiversity poses to human health.

It is today widely acknowledged both by the development and conservation communities that a vital relationship exists between the sound management of ecosystems, the determinants of poverty and the effectiveness of poverty alleviation efforts. Although levels of vulnerability remain high in urban areas, the relationship is closer still in rural settings where the majority of poor remain largely dependent upon the productivity and sustainability of natural ecosystems.

This source book contains 15 chapters on diverse topics, ranging from components of the natural environment to efforts in environmental management. While it is primarily intended for students and teachers in the Faculty of Education and Tribhuvan University-affiliated campuses, it will also be useful to researchers and general readers interested in the state of the global environment as well as the environment in Nepal.