Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are those illnesses which arise not from exposure to a pathogen (disease causing organism, such as a virus, fungus, bacteria or parasite) but from personal behaviours, individual genetics, exposure to pollutants, and social and economic circumstances. NCDs include disorders of the body systems which are often chronic in nature (e.g. respiratory, endocrine, digestive, skin, psychological, nervous system, and musculo-skeletal system disorders, including cancers, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, arthritis etc.). NCDs are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally.  

Combatting and preventing NCDs requires efforts to control their various interacting risk factors (social, economic, individual, behavioural, and environmental). The evidence is clear that the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity and the sustainability of the ecosystem services we obtain from nature are of great importance to the promotion of healthy lifestyles and the reduction of health risks associated with our working and living environments. Whilst their relevance to individual persons, families, or communities may in some circumstances be low, for many local and indigenous communities, and even at the level of large populations (such as in major cities), the condition of the ecosystems we depend upon for a healthy and safe living environment is a major driver of the risks of NCDs., 

For example, by regulating and purifying flows of water through the landscape, healthy ecosystems provide us not only with freshwater resources but also assimilate pollutants, and reduce flood risks associated with extreme weather events. Other ecosystem processes provide us with the benefits of clean air, healthy soils for food production, opportunities for important social interaction and cultural development, and landscapes for recreation, exercise and mentally and physically restorative experiences. These influence our lives and livelihoods in  numerous ways, providing the experiences, opportunities and resources necessary for a healthy and fulfilling life.

The loss of biodiversity and ecosystem degradation reduces the capacity of ecosystems to sustain the services our health de[ends on, and reduces the opportunities for more efficient, systemic initiatives for health promotion. It reduces quality of life, by eroding the basis of cultures and traditions, increasing risk of exposure to both natural and manmade hazards, and reducing access to essential resources.