UN Reports Call For More Work On Environmental Causes Of Disease, Reducing Risk From Unsustainable Use Of Chemicals

The environmental causes of endocrine-related diseases have not been adequately addressed, concludes a report by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It updates a 2002 report and calls for global action to address the hazards of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Exposure to endocrine disrupters has been associated with disorders including reproductive effects, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Separately, UNEP also released a report on emerging environmental issues. It calls for governments to reduce growing risks to human health and the environment from unsustainable use of commercial chemicals. It also says effective policies are needed to avoid damage to the fragile Arctic environment as global warming opens this region to gas, oil, and mineral extraction.