The Palgrave Handbook of Ecosystems and Human Wellbeing (Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Futures)

Ecosystems are the planet s life-support systems for humans and all other forms of life. Human biology requires food water, clean air, shelter, and relative climate constancy. Other health benefits include those derived from having a full complement of species, intact watersheds, climate regulation, and genetic diversity. Escalating human pressure on the environment can lead to direct health impacts, for instance, climate change impacts on agricultural production can lead to malnutrition, susceptibility to infectious diseases and other ailments. Human health is also impacted indirectly by environmental changes in the distribution of productive ecosystems and in the availability of food, water, and energy supplies. These changes will affect the distribution of infectious diseases, nutritional status, and patterns of human settlement.

The Palgrave Handbook of Ecosystems and Human Well-Being provides readers (practitioners, academics, researchers) with a comprehensive interdisciplinary reference on how various measures and actions at the local, national, regional, and global scale can mitigate environmental degradation and enhance the resilience of individuals and populations to ecosystem change. In particular, the Palgrave Handbook of Ecosystems and Human Well-Being provides readers with expert knowledge on legal, economic, financial, institutional, social, behavioural, technological, and cognitive measures and actions at the local, national, regional, and international levels in locations of differing climates and varying income levels that aim to prevent, limit, or manage environmental degradation and protect individuals and populations from the adverse consequences of ecosystem change to reduce current and future health risks.

Robert C. Brears is an author, editor, and international expert on water security, climate resilience, and sustainable development. He is the author of Financing Water Security and Green Growth (Oxford University Press) and editor of The Circular Economy and Liveable Cities (Cambridge University Press), with an extensive body of work spanning water resources management, nature-based solutions, and the circular water economy.

He is the Founder of Our Future Water, Global Climate Solutions, and Our Future Water Intelligence, where he leads the development of strategic intelligence and research on water systems, infrastructure, and climate-related risk for policy, investment, and regulatory audiences. He also founded Mitidaption, advising governments, businesses, and organisations on climate change and environmental risk for over 15 years.

Robert serves on the roster of experts for the Green Climate Fund, contributing to the review and development of climate finance proposals. His recent work includes final-stage technical input into a USD 391.4 million multi-country GCF Full Proposal spanning Latin America, supporting Independent Technical Advisory Panel and Board consideration. He is also a Strategic Advisor on water security proposals with IDOM Consulting, Engineering, Architecture.

He is Editor-in-Chief and Co-Editor-in-Chief of multiple Palgrave Major Reference Works with Springer Nature, including handbooks on nature-based solutions, urban climate resilience, environmental policy, and sustainable futures. He also serves as Series Editor for the Palgrave Studies in Climate Resilient Societies.

Robert has worked extensively with international organisations including the World Bank, UNIDO, FAO, and EIT Food. His roles have included keynote speaking at COP28 and global water forums, programme development on the water food nexus, and delivery of training and advisory services on urban water management and climate resilience.

He has conducted field research globally, including Antarctic expeditions, and regularly publishes insights that reach a global professional audience across policy, finance, and infrastructure sectors.