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thus enabling the protection of delicate forest ecosystems. In the same manner, South Africa can benefit from the use of AI technologies in the protection of wildlife and preservation of cultural and historical resources. Due to the capacity of AI to manage and analyse data, there can be constant monitoring of the relevant zones, particularly for fighting threats to biodiversity. As reported by BBVA Open Mind (2022), AI has helped to implement an effective anti- poaching initiative in the national parks of Kenya through image analysis provided by drones. In this way, if suspicious movements are localised or poaching is detected, then AI will help park rangers to eliminate further aggravated hunting which presents new challenges to endangered species. Without a doubt, this indicates that technological advancements such as AI can help in conserving the environment through more efficient and active measures than previously available.
In the area of healthcare, there is a noticeable shift towards using AI technologies for the resolution of environmental sustainability issues. Ostertag et al. (2021) reported that healthcare contributes a lot to greenhouse gas emissions and to the consumption of resources (at around 5% of both in countries such as Germany). This impact on the environment is not only the consequence of operations performed, such as the energy consumed at a hospital, but also due to processes that occur within the supply chain, such as the manufacturing and logistics of medical equipment and drugs. These statistics illustrate the need for healthcare practice to integrate sustainability measures in practice faster, to mitigate the risks posed to the environment. An instance here is Google Cloud Health, which announced that the sale of its pacemakers means the services within their reach will be carbon neutral by 2030 (Hölzle 2020). Healthcare systems, particularly the National Health Service in the UK, are also mobilising to integrate new systems that will enhance care and help preserve the environment. There are many other ways to help fill this gap, one of them being AI which has applications in healthcare ranging from image analysis, and decision support systems for clinical diagnosis and treatment, to hospital management systems, for instance coding to ease paperwork and manage hospitals efficiently (Bloomfield et al. 2021). In as much as these technologies are meant for healthcare systems, they incorporate organisational aspects which, when applied effectively, reduce the resources and energy input required for provision of healthcare services. In addition, focus has also been directed toward using generative language models to analyse information, compose texts, and interact with patients. AI efforts are continuing along this trajectory, and indeed the hope is that it will become easier and cheaper to offer high-quality services in a way that is less harmful to the environment and that improves healthcare systems.
The connection between health and environmental justice is not only intricate but also gaining more acknowledg- ment in the global health agenda with time. Ausin (2021) states that health equity refers to a process of setting uni- versal moral standards with respect to health, with the aim is to frame inequalities and the suffering it causes instead of waiting for external assistance or blaming individual choices. Health equity is most relevant to other social fac- tors, because poor environmental conditions often wors- en health equity. For instance, chronic illnesses are more prevalent in persons residing in congested areas with high pollution levels or scant availability of clean water.
In the same way, Prah Ruger and Horton (2021) state that it is inappropriate to approach the scars left by the COVID-19 pandemic like any other natural occurrence – rather, it is a problem that deeply afflicts social inequalities and is related to both health justice and environmental justice. The pandemic highlighted the weaknesses among certain groups and the socially determined position of health, displaying how health is affected by a variety of issues, including social, economic, and environmental. However, an environmental justice approach is concerned primarily with the fair allocation of environmental ‘goods’, while ecological justice accommodates the idea of justice in respect of the value of all non-human beings and nature (Schlosberg 2007). Hence, justice is no longer confined to concern about human beings, but also human health, that encompasses ecosystems and non-human beings. It is crucial to understand the linkages that need to be addressed, which is why the One Health approach which focuses on human health, animal health and ecosystem health is so important (Acharya et al. 2020; Sebo 2022). Taking into account the relationships of all living organisms, the One Health approach seeks to address health problems in an environmental context, so that health policies are equitable and sustainable.
To mitigate biodiversity loss and curb the over-exploitation of certain animal species, efforts must be taken with caution, as they may pose risks to human health. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to human-wildlife interactions, highlighting the potential dangers of such engagements (Andersen et al. 2020; Rabinowitz and Conti 2013). Zoonotic infections have caused numerous outbreaks and epidemics in the past and present, reminding us of the dangers brought by alteration of the natural environment by humans. Other diseases have also resulted from the destruction of natural ecosystems resulting from global warming because of human activities. Environmental damage in the form of climate change and air pollution has health hazards that last many years. These factors contribute not only to the threat to these ecosystems but also to enhancing the risk of spread of infectious diseases among people. Therefore,
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