From Multiple Voices to a Common Language: Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health as an Emerging Paradigm Renaud De Plaen and Catherine Kilelu Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health Program Initiative, International Development Research Centre (IDRC), 250 Albert Street, P.O. Box 8500, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3H9, Canada Abstract: The International Forum on Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health, held in Montreal, May 18– 23, 2003, was one product of a new paradigm or framework linking health, ecosystems, and sustainable development that emerged in recent decades. This profile aims to provide a backdrop for the contents of this supplementary issue by outlining some of the key principles of the Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health (Ecohealth) framework. It also discusses some of the activities supported by the Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health Program Initiative of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to build on the success of the Forum. In doing so, the intention is to frame the 2003 Forum as one in a series of opportunities to reflect and learn from precedents of research and practice from an ecohealth perspective and to foster the development of a community of practice on Ecohealth (COPEH). The profile not only places the contents of the supplement and the Forum within a larger context, but also provides an overview of other IDRC activities that are building capacity for future research and practice, and are strengthening the emerging COPEH. Key words: ecohealth, community of practice, capacity building, networking BACKGROUND Inspiration for publishing this supplementary issue came from numerous exchanges, conversations, and demands in which scholars, applied scientists, policymakers, and prac- titioners from both developing and developed countries expressed great interest in further exploring and advancing ecosystem approaches to human health. The articles in- cluded in the supplement come from presentations at the International Forum on Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health, held in Montreal, May 18–23, 2003. The conference brought together researchers, practitioners, and policy- makers who shared a common interest: the realization that classic disciplinary approaches to environment and health relations are insufficient to comprehend the complexity of factors influencing human health and the desire to tran- scend disciplinary background to develop new paradigms. The Forum created a space for participants to discuss the potential of the ecosystem approaches to human health framework (Ecohealth) as an alternative hallmark (sys- tematic, theoretical, and practical) for improving human health and well-being. Understanding of human health in terms of its inter- action with the human environment has traditionally been strongly colored by the experience of medical and, to a lesser extent, environmental approaches. Biomedical ap- proaches have primarily focused on pathogens, the spread Published online: November 4, 2004 Correspondence to: Renaud De Plaen, e-mail: rdeplaen@idrc.ca EcoHealth 1 (Suppl. 2), 8–15, 2004 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-004-0143-1 Profile Ó 2004 EcoHealth Journal Consortium