Most people consider it common knowledge: a bad environment affects ones health. However this common sense is not translated in policy. In some cases the link between the environment and health is disputed, but even in those cases where it is not, policy action is limited. Many policy decisions create situations, which are hazardous to the health of millions of people. Health is an important cross-cutting issue, touching upon the activities of all other working groups.

We recognize that there are huge regional differences in health and environment issues and that different regions will have different priorities. At the moment, there are more than 100.000 substances in use, of which we have little or no information about hazards to health and environment. Current legislation puts the burden of proof to the government, and allows the industry plenty of opportunities to successfully oppose restrictions. Focussing on the relationship between health and everyday pollution levels is not high on the priority list of governments.

ANPED thinks it is crucial to have decision-makers take into account the health repercussions in policy decisions, and especially in this field use the precautionary principle in the decision making process. This is the reason why we started in 1998 our Water, Health & Environment programme.

Health and Environment Briefing Paper

CURRENT AND PLANNED ACTIVITIES

To stay within our expertise, we place specific emphasis on the issues ANPED works on. The programme puts extra emphasis on the following issues:

• Articles by Zakaryna L & Manukyan K, WGWG & Institute of Molecular Biology, Armenia. Genetic Consequences of the Environmental Pollutant Effect and Environmental Stress Factors and Molecular Mechanisms of Cancerogenesis.

• Science Shops ANPED staff and the working group coordinator attended the Second International Conference Living Knowledge on “Advancing Science and Society Interactions” Sevilla (Spain) and as keynote speakers from 3-5 February 2005.The aim was to establish contacts with science shops and investigate the potential for cooperation between ANPED and science shops. Maureen Butter did a presentation on 'New Oppurtunties by Partnering with International NGO networks'.

• Article by Maureen Butter, Working Group Coordinator for Living Knowledge: International Journal of Community Based Research No5. - April 2005. 'Building a Constituency: A Strategy to empower Science Shops'. This article proposes that NGO networks are natural partners for the Science Shop network. ANPED is being promoted as this possible partner.

• Report: A Green and Healthy Europe: Building better links between health, environment and sustainable development by Chris Church. It looks at these links and summarises some current processes and issues and looks at why the links between these disciplines are not as successful as they should be. It explains the problems and barriers faced by those seeking to develop a more integrated approach and how the arrivial of SD on the agenda has offered new oppurtunities.

• Briefing Paper on Electronic Fields. Some 3-5% of the population develop adverse symptoms to electromagnetic fields. As we all are more and more exposed, we have no way of knowing whether this percentage might increase in the future. Electrosensitive patients show similar symptoms as MCS patients and people with chronic fatigue synsdrom. There are indications that the groups overlap, Read more about it in ANPED's Health Briefing Paper on Elelectrosensitivity.

• Briefing Paper on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.Chemicals in our daily environment can make people sick, also at concentrations far below what authorities claim is safe. Multiple chemical sensitivity is a condition where symptoms are triggered by low concentrations of chemicals in food, air, textiles, water. Many MCS patients have a history of previous exposure and subsequent sensitization. Read more about it in ANPED's Health Briefing Paper on MCS.

• Local Participatory Democracy. Enabling citizens to voice out their concerns about the repercussions of the environment on their health is key in ANPED's programme. We think it is crucial that citizens have the right to influence policy decisions that can have an impact on their health. Part of our campaigns and skill-shares are therefore aimed at tackling the obstacles to public participation. Examples of these can be; non-co operative local authorities; no mechanism to enforce laws on information provision; no or little enforcement of law; and no consultation for legislation.

• International Political Processes. REACH PROCESS (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of Chemicals), Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, European Environment and Health Commission (EEHC), Children’s Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE), the main result of Budapest Ministerial Conference, 2004, SCALE

PAST ACTIVITIES

• Healthy Planet Forum/ Budapest 4th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, 22 June 2004.

• TUNZA meeting 13-14th March 2004.

• ANPED hosted the first follow-up meeting to the Ministerial Conference on Environment & Health in London. The report from this meeting can be downloaded here.

• ANPED hosted the NGO strategy meeting toward the third Ministerial Conference on Environment & Health. At this meeting NGOs discussed their position towards the governmental points of view and brainstormed ways to influence the delegations.

• ANPED in the past produced and updated the website of the European Environment and Health Network (eHEN).

• Together with several Romanian NGOs and scientist, ANPED developed an action programme to show civilians ways to be vocal for what concerns all of us most: our health.