Appeal to Physicians of the World regarding the Founding Congress of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE)

Improving the general standard of living is a natural and justified goal of human existence.

The industrial nations seemingly have achieved a high standard of living through continuous economic growth. However, the absence of insight into understanding mechanisms and insufficient evaluation of probable consequences combined with a willingness to accept high risks, has led to profound interference with rural ecological systems and to the endangerment and progressive destruction of our natural environment.

By now the results are obvious: dying forests; poisoning of the air, water, and soils; destruction of the protective stratospheric ozone-shield; the greenhouse effect caused by industrial and automobile emissions; threat of climate catastrophe; and impoverishment of populations in lesser developed areas through an unjust world economy. With the extinction of thousands of animal and plant species and destruction of our natural environment, as a result of human activities, we must: conceive mankind as only a part of nature, consider the environment as the basis of health and welfare, and thereby act accordingly.

Next to traditional "individualised repair" medicine, general preventive measures must be given much greater importance.

WE THEREFORE CALL UPON ALL MEDICAL DOCTORS OF THE WORLD TO DEVOTE EVERY EFFORT TO THE RESTITUTION OF WHOLESOME AND ENJOYABLE LIVING CONDITIONS.

We therefore ask you:

Cortona (Italy), 25 November 1990