Newsletter June-July 2003

Green Doctors Ukraine prioritises chemicals and reducing tobacco smoke

The Green Doctors, Ukraine participated as a member of the NGO delegation to the 5th Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe", Kyiv, Ukraine, 21-23 May 2003. During the conference, they launched two brochures "Chemical Safety and Health" and "Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Health" in Russian. The second brochure is part of their project in support for the Framework Convention Process under the WHO "Channelling the Outrage" campaign.
In conjunction with ECO-Forum, the Green (...)

Exploring the health and environment link throughout the world

The World Bank has issued an strategy paper on Health and environment.
The paper, published in October 2001 and writen by economist Ksenhya Lvovsky, highlights the inter-relationship between environment, public health and poverty in the industrialised and developing worlds.
It shows that holistic, multi-sectoral approaches are needed to improve health and particular attention must be given to the needs of the poor who suffer the greatest ill health from environmental (...)

EU Chemicals proposal will bring net benefits

A new report published by WWF explores the potential impact of the European Commission’s REACH strategy for regulating chemicals. In particular the report makes an economic analysis of the cost to industry of compliance with the regulation and the associated reduced health impact from stricter control of chemicals.
The research, undertaken by Dr David Pearce and Dr Phoebe Koundouri from the University College London concludes that the proposed REACH regime would produce net overall (...)

Commission takes Member States to court for environmental non-compliance

The Commission has announced last 24th July that it will take action against 8 member states: France, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Finland, for non-compliance with EU waste laws.
Serious problems for public health and the environment could be caused by this non-compliance.
Commission Press Release on waste
The same day, the Commission pointed out that 10 Member States (France, United Kingdom, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, (...)

NGO website ’Healthy Planet’ launched

NGOs are preparing for their parallel meeting to coincide with the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health to be held in Budapest in June 2004.
The Healthy Planet Forum 2004, will take place in June 22-25, , has a new website with news, ideas, information exchange and a mailing list.
Ideas for workshops, exhibitions and other contributions from civil society are (...)

Measures Adopted by Commission on the Reduction of Air Pollution

The European Commission adopted on the 16 July a proposal for a Directive aimed at minimising the harmful effects of heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) in the air we breathe.
Commission press release.

Precautionary Principle, Children’s Health and the Environment

The precautionary principle, sustainability and children’s health will be a topic at the Fourth Environment and Health Ministerial Conference in Budapest, June 2004.
To discuss the draft documents for the Budapest Ministerial Conference, which include a primer on precuationary policies and health; a WHO position paper and a policy paper, a meeting will be organised jointly by WHO and the Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire Environnementale 11-13 September 2003 in Paris.
For more (...)

European Citizens Say "Protect Us From Hazardous Chemicals"

Last 8th July, an impressive coalition of European environmental, consumer, health, and women’s groups presented Europe’s most widely supported submission to the European Commission’s consultation on future chemicals law.
The submission was presented to European Commissioner Wallstrom by a coalition of the European Consumers Organisation, European Environmental Bureau, European Public Health Alliance, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Women in Europe for a Common Future, and WWF in the (...)

Negotiations begin on action plan to protect children’s health from environmental risks

Over 100 representatives from health and environment ministries from across Europe met to begin discussions on how to best protect children from environmental hazards. This took place in the context of the Second Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting for the Budapest Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health on 26-27 June in Stockholm, Sweden.
One of the main topics under discussion was the draft Children’s Environment and Health Action Plan, which lists environmental risk (...)

Health Impact of Chemicals Causes Concern

The UK Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution is proposing a radical reform of the way that chemicals are regulated. The report Chemicals in Products: Safeguarding the Environment and Human Health urges a more transparent and precautionary approach to chemical regulation than is currently being proposed by the EU (see related article).
Only a tiny fraction of chemicals on the market today have been assessed for long-term safety. The report proposes that computer programmes already (...)

American NGOs Urge Bush to Follow EU on Chemical Legislation

American NGOs representing near 10,000 US citizens have backed controversial EU proposals to make companies responsible for proving the safety of the chemicals they produce or use.
WWF Article on this issue
European Commission White Paper

Council of Europe calls for stronger legal protection to achieve a healthier environment

The Council of Europe’s Assembly expressed its concern about the deterioration in the environment and its effects on citizens’ health.
During its meeting on 27 June 2003, the Assembly called for an additional protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights, the Council of Europe aims at strengthening environmental protection by granting individuals the right to lodge complaints in this respect.
Debating a report by member of the Assembly Cristina Agudo (Spain, SOC), the (...)

PINCHE policy meetings on neurotoxicity, noise and air pollution

PINCHE, the Policy Interpretation Network for Children’s Health and Environment will be holding several meetings over the next months. To find out more about the agenda or attending these meetings, please contact Peter van den Hazel .
The Neurotoxicity Theme Group met on 25 June in Dresden, Germany, on the Wednesday afternoon of the INA-9 conference in Dresden. More information here .
The Noise Group will meet in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, during the ICBEN 2003 conference. More (...)

New listserves on Environment and Health

WHO has launched a monthly listserve to provide updates on news and developments from many sectors during the buildup to the Fourth Ministerial Conference.
"The future for our children" is the theme of the Conference.
Ministers of health and of environment from 51 countries across the WHO European Region will be making decisions on children’s environment and health, including the adoption of a children’s environment and health action plan for Europe.
Subscribe to WHO listserver
Find (...)

EP Changes Greenhouse Gas Trading Scheme

Last Wednesday, 2 July, the European Parliament paved the way for industry to trade greenhouse gas emission rights as of 2005.
The new rules will create an EU market in greenhouse gas emissions in an attempt to protect the environment.
The proposal by the Commission to include all greenhouse gases and not just carbon dioxide, and to widen the range of industries covered by the new legislation was supported by the EP in the second reading of the new rules.
Please find attached the Report (...)

Council Agrees Rules on GMO Crops in Europe

Member states will be able to regulate their cultivation of genetically modified crops under rules agreed by EU agricultural ministers on 23 July.
The same day, the Commission confirmed this decentralised approach by publishing guidelines - which are not legally binding - setting out "general principles" of how to manage GM crops safely.
Commission press release.

US report recommends steps to reduce dietary dioxin exposure

A panel of scientists, organized by the Institute of Medicine, a national advisory agency within the National Academy of Sciences in the US, has issued the report, Dioxins and Dioxin-like Compounds in the Food Supply: Strategies to Decrease Exposure
The report advises the government to develop an interagency plan to reduce human exposure to dioxin in foods. The expert panel made the lowering of dioxin levels in girls and young women before they have children a high priority, noting that it (...)

Commission Takes Member States to Court for GMOs

Last 15 of July, the Commission decided to take Court action against eleven Member States for failing to adopt and notify national legislation implementing an EU law on the deliberate release of Genetically Modified Organisms into the Environment.
Commission press release.

No GMO-Free Zones in Europe

The European Food Safety Authority has issued a document which rules out plans to set up GM free zones in different parts of Europe.
The Commission asked for the EFSA scientific opinion after some EU regions, such as Upper Austria, Wales and a few local authorities in the west of England, showed interest in excluding GM crops from their reion and wanted to be declared GMO free zones.
EFSA (...)