WHO – Joint efforts for better human health
Together with the Public Health Agency of Sweden, the Swedish EPA participates in the WHO Environment and Health Process, EHP, to improve areas like air quality, water, sanitation, waste management, and health care.
In 1989, the World Health Organization, WHO, initiated a process to reduce the impact of environmental problems on human health. Sweden is represented by focal points at the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the Swedish EPA. 53 European countries participate in the cooperation.
The secretariat of the process is located in Bonn, Germany, at the WHO European Centre on Environment and Health. The centre works closely with the UN Economic Commission for Europe, UNECE, and the UN Economic Programme, UNEP.
Ministerial conferences
Within the co-operation, the WHO has organised seven ministerial conferences every six years, resulting in joint declarations and commitments. The conferences bring together WHO Europe's member countries, UN agencies and interest organizations to agree on commitments regarding the work related to health. The last conference was held in Budapest in July 2023 where the 3rd Ministerial Declaration was adopted.
The Budapest Declaration
The Budapest Declaration focuses on both commitments regarding actions and cooperation as well as a road map for a “healthy population, living planet and sustainable future 2023-2030”. Three areas are prioritized:
- Climate change and health
- Environmental pollution (mainly linked to air quality and chemicals) and health
- Loss of biodiversity and land degradation, and its impact on health
The declaration highlights how we can accelerate the recovery from the covid pandemic by promoting a health-promoting, sustainable and fair transition.
The Ostrava Declaration
In June 2017 in Ostrava, Czech Republic, the Ostrava Declaration was adopted. During the conference, all member states decided to produce a portfolio in 2018 that describes how the countries are working on the issues and the measures to improve the environmental and health situation. Seven priority areas are included:
- Improved air quality
- Safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene
- Chemicals
- Waste management and contaminated sites
- Health risks from climate change
- Sustainable urban environment and mobility
- Environmentally sustainable health care
The Parma Declaration
In the Parma Declaration from 2010, the focus was on the implementation of the Children's Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE), adopted at the conference in Budapest in 2004.
More information
Contact
Would you like to know more about the Swedish EPA’s and WHO’s cooperation? Send an email to Karin Norström at karin.norstrom@naturvardsverket.se.