Ivonne Ortega Pacheco, State Governor of Yucatán, officially opened the International EcoHealth Forum in Merida, in December 2008. Healthy and resilient ecosystems are the foundations of a society’s strength, she observed, since environmental degradation leads to physical and psychological health problems in populations.

The Vice-President of Corporate Strategy and Regional Management for Canada’s International Development Research Centre, Lauchlan Munro, said the challenge of climate change can only be addressed using an interdisciplinary approach.

Canada ’s Deputy Ambassador to México, José Herrán Lima, said Yucatán, where respect for the environment is the foundation of public health improvements, is an example of sustainable development.

The Vice-Minister of Health Prevention and Promotion at Mexico’s Ministry of Health, Mauricio Hernandez Avila, stressed the urgency of using interdisciplinary measures to avoid further environmental degradation and to improve public health.

The presence of these personalities at the opening ceremony made a local, national, and international impact. The keynote conference by Dr Carlos Nobre highlighted the urgent need for action worldwide.