For Health, Make Mercury History

22 September 2017, GENEVA - The first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP1), convened by UN Environment, will take place from 24 to 29 September 2017 at the International Conference Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. A “Mercury Week” of events will take place from 22 to 29 September, under the banner “Make Mercury History”.

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Preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by reducing environmental risk factors

12 September 2017 -- This newly released publication highlights the special relevance of environmental risks for NCDs. It presents the burden of NCDs caused by environmental risks, as well as the many areas where action on environmental determinants is needed to reduce the burden. It provides the evidence on why environmental risk reduction is essential in NCD prevention and control strategies.

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2.1 billion people lack safe drinking water at home, more than twice as many lack safe sanitation

13 July 2017 – Some 3 in 10 people worldwide, or 2.1 billion, lack access to safe, readily available water at home, and 6 in 10, or 4.5 billion, lack safely managed sanitation, according to a new report by WHO and UNICEF. The Joint Monitoring Programme report, Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: 2017 Update and Sustainable Development Goal Baselines, presents the first global assessment of “safely managed” drinking water and sanitation services. The overriding conclusion is that too many people still lack access, particularly in rural areas.

Increasing Resilience under Climate Change Conditions in Africa

Protecting health from climate change

29 June 2017 – Climate change undermines access to safe water, adequate food, and clean air, exacerbating the approximately 12.6 million deaths each year that are caused by avoidable environmental risk factors. Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress, and billions of dollars in direct damage costs to health. WHO works with countries across the world to protect the most vulnerable populations from the health effects of extreme weather events, and to increase their resilience to long-term climate change.

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New Innov8 Facilitator’s Manual: A capacity building tool to ensure no one is left behind

5 July 2017 – The Innov8 Facilitator’s Manual is designed for persons conducting the capacity-building workshops of applications of the Innov8 approach for reviewing national health programmes to leave no one behind. Innov8 is an 8-step review process that supports programmes to be more equity-oriented, rights-based, gender-responsive and to address social determinants in order to contribute to the progressive realization of universal health coverage and the right to health. The Manual - the partnering publication to the Innov8 Technical Handbook - provides an overarching introduction to the facilitation of a generic Innov8 review process entailing three workshops: sensitization, review and redesign, to aid and support the adaptation process.


PHE health topics

Group photo of adolescent boys fishing by the sea

An estimated 12.6 million deaths each year are attributable to unhealthy environments - nearly one in four of total global deaths. Environmental risk factors, such as air, water and soil pollution, chemical exposures, climate change and ultraviolet radiation, contribute to more than 100 diseases and injuries.

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Commentary highlight

Environments should improve not harm our health

Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health

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Publication highlight

Preventing disease through healthy environments

A global assessment of the burden of disease from environmental risks

Global Strategy Overview

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About us

By focusing on reducing environmental and social risk factors, nearly a quarter of the global burden of disease can be prevented. Examples include promoting safe household water storage, better hygiene measures, safer management of toxic substances in the home and workplace.

Environmental health in WHO regions


Factsheets

Statistical information

Quantifying environmental health impacts

The environmental burden of disease quantifies the amount of disease caused by environmental risks.

Public health and environment in the Global Health Observatory (GHO) data

Mortality and burden of disease from unhealthy environment

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Statement by Dr Maria Neira on International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action 2016

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