Page - 459 - in Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change

459 As spiritual well-being is increasingly considered an important dimension of human health, Katherine Irvine and colleagues examine the inter-relationship between biodiversity and this aspect of human health and well-being. In their review, the authors develop an expanded understanding of spiritual well-being as encompassing one’s relationships with the self, the community, the environment and transcendent Other(s), and consider this in relation to four themes from the literature. The first theme focuses on the influence of spiritual traditions on biodi- versity, in which religious world views regarding nature and biodiversity can foster meaning, connection with nature, and feelings of transcendence. These experiences may result in nature conservation behaviours. The second theme, sacred places as repositories of biodiversity, highlights how spiritual values and taboos associated with specific natural sites can help to preserve biodiversity. The third theme consid- ers the spiritual domain within ecosystems services through an examination of the measurement of spiritual well-being as a cultural ecosystem service. For the final theme, the effects of biodiversity on spiritual well-being, the authors found few empirical research studies that specifically investigated how biodiversity and biodi- verse settings contribute to spiritual well-being. The authors thus examine the bio- diversity–spiritual well-being relationship through an interpretation of several strands of research, for example wilderness recreation, urban green space usage, place attachment, and Attention Restoration Theory. The chapter ends with a detailed conceptual model to inform future research. 20.4 Importance of  Biodiversity, Health and  Climate Change Relationships for  Professionals, Practitioners and  Policy-Makers Evidence of the health effects of biodiverse natural environments has implications for both policy and practice. This part of the book deals with the implications of the inter-relationships of biodiversity and health in the face of climate change for pro- fessionals and managers concerned with public health, nature conservation and pro- environmental behaviour, as well as how these inter-relationships are being supported by policy. Good practice examples using nature and biodiversity for human health and climate change adaptation in European countries are highlighted. Penny Cook and co-authors discuss the implications and inter-relationships between public health, climate change and biodiversity, with specific consideration for disadvantaged groups and health inequalities. The authors provide a comprehen- sive overview of the numerous connections between public health and biodiversity in the face of climate change, such as: food, nutrition and water supply; environ- mental stress; aesthetic appreciation and spiritual well-being; socio-cultural well- being; physical and mental health; promotion of physical activity; and infectious diseases. From these interconnections, the authors consider the reasons why public 20 Biodiversity and  Health in  the  Face of  Climate Change: Perspectives for  Science…