Personal health must be seen in the context of the planet's health, a conference in New Zealand has heard.
The International Union for Health Promotion and Education conference was held in Rotorua last week with more than 1000 participants from around the world.
The head of New Zealand's Health Promotion Forum, Sione Tu'itahi, said climate change was an ecological disaster in the Pacific where people's health was deeply connected to their environment.
"It is not enough to focus on the ill health of people as a result of the uncontrolled development.
"We must look after Mother Earth. It's like the well being of our house is at stake and yet we focus on our individual rooms. We cannot afford to have that perspective any more."
