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| In this issue |
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| Editorial |
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Dear Members,
Last Friday, almost unnoticed, apart from scientists and climate experts, we have seen the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere surpass 400 parts per million. Several million years ago earth had this level, but that was before humans were around. Scientists identified 350 parts per million (ppm) as a safe level for life on earth and we need to reverse this trend in order to avoid catastrophic impacts. As we only have models that simulate the effects, we do not know what life will be like at 400 ppm and beyond. Therefore all our work, EU and global policies and our individual actions, need to address the new climate reality. Energy savings and sustainable development are not simply nice add-ons, they are a must for human survival. Let us know what your organisation or company is doing to address climate reality for our next newsletter and find the latest round-up of information for EU policy development and member activities below.
Best wishes,
Anja Leetz
Executive Director, HCWH Europe |
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Policy Updates
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Pharmaceutical Residues in Water
On 17th April 2013, the Council of the European Union voted in the Committee of Permanent Representatives, whose role it is to prepare the agenda for the Council’s meetings and coordinates the work of approximately 250 working parties. The agreement was struck a couple of weeks earlier between the European Parliament, Council and Commission on the Council Directive’s proposal on priority substances in water. The agreed text will add 12 new chemicals to a list of 33 identified hazardous chemicals (“priority substances list”) leaving out the three proposed pharmaceuticals, which will be included only in a watch list. This means that the proposed pharmaceuticals will not be controlled in water but Member States will have the obligation to monitor them once a year. more |
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Medical Devices
The debate in the European Parliament and Council on the Medical Device Package has begun. In the European Parliament, the Committee for the Environment (ENVI) is the leading committee with Internal Market and Employment also contributing their perspective. HCWH Europe has brought the attention of EU Parliamentarians to chemicals classified as Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Reprotoxic (CMR) and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in medical devices. We have also organised an event in the European Parliament that will take place 22nd March 2013 and focuses on the proposal for a Regulation on Medical Devices. more. |
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Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)
In a plenary session on 13th March 2013, the European Parliament adopted a report on the protection of public health from Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). With the report by Swedish EU Parliamentarian Åsa Westlund, it is the first time in more than two decades that the Parliament has addressed chemicals that can disrupt our hormone system. The report calls on the EU to devise ambitious legislation to minimise risks from EDC exposure and protect human health and the environment. The European Commission is currently working on a proposal, revising the EU strategy on EDCs and is working on defining new criteria for identifying EDCs. more. |
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Publications
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Globalisation, Climate Change, and Human Health
The global scale, interconnectedness, and economic intensity of contemporary human activity are historically unprecedented, as are many of the consequent environmental and social changes. These global changes fundamentally influence patterns of human health, international health care, and public health activities. more |
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Scientific evidence of Health Effects from Coal Use in Energy Generation
A new global study of the health impacts caused by air pollution due to burning coal for electricity production estimates the death toll at 210,000 people each year—as well as two million serious illnesses, and 151 million minor illnesses. The study, by researchers from the Chicago School of Public Health at the University of Illinois, is a scientific literature review of all recent peer-reviewed reports and papers from biomedical literature around the world. more. |
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Sustainable System-wide Commissioning - how a whole system approach leads to more sustainable healthcare
A new guide to sustainable commissioning has been published by Forum for the Future, the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, and the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement. The guide and associated tools are aimed at Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) that want to deliver system-wide commissioning which will, as a consequence, lead to healthcare services that operate in a more sustainable way. Explicitly considering the wider system within which services are embedded and making improvements to services with a view to this broader context, will lead to more sustainable healthcare. more. |
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Member Updates
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The Ecological Council
The Ecological Council (Det Økologiske Råd), a Danish NGO and academic organisation dealing with environmental policy on a scientific basis, whilst informing and opening up a dialogue with both politicians and the general public, has launched the video Hazardous Chemicals in our Blood. The film explores the concerns related to endocrine disruptors. (Short Version) (Long Version) |
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WECF delivers more than 30,000 signatures to ‘Stop EDCs in toys’
On 9th April 2013, Women in Europe for a Common Future in France (WECF) delivered their petition "Stop endocrine disruptors in toys" signed by more than 30,000 people, to French Health and Environment Ministers. more. |
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Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH)
Global Green and Healthy Hospitals – the worldwide HCWH–led initiative to reduce healthcare's environmental footprint is growing in leaps and bounds. They are releasing case studies from around the world each month, taking on new members every week, and have just launched a revised version of their GreenHospitals.net website. more. |
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Open Calls
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European Health Award 2013
The European Health Award highlights and rewards an initiative involving collaborative working in at least two European countries, which contributes in a clear and significant way to meeting some of the challenges facing Europe such as disparities in health status, access to services and the provision of treatment within Europe. more |
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| Events |
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Oxford, United Kingdom: CleanMed Europe 2013 (Early-bird tickets are still available!)
Date: 17-19 September 2013
CleanMed Europe is the only European conference on sustainability within the healthcare sector, addressing the environmental impact of the health care sector on a local, regional, and global level.
Key topics: Pathways to sustainable healthcare through greening hospitals and clinics, low-carbon technologies, leaner systems and preventative measures. Authorities.
Who should attend?: Health and social care professionals and managers, people from healthcare infrastructure (estates and facilities, finance, IT, energy, procurement and waste), patient leaders, industry leaders, researchers and experts in sustainability. more |
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Gothenburg, Sweden: HPH Conference 2013
Date: 22 - 24 May 2013
The 21st International Conference on Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services (HPH) focuses on approaches and tools to develop more health oriented health services.
Key topics: The development of a more health-oriented health service based on the modern evidence on the mind-body connection. The elements will include empowerment for patients, health promoting environments, culture and health, nature and health and much more.
Who should attend?: All health care professionals and interested parties alike. more |
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Oslo, Norway: IHF World Hospital Congress
Date: 18 - 20 June 2013
Key topics: New health care models, new technology and access to health services.
Oslo2013 is the forum in which leaders, policy makers and clinicians from all over the world will share their experiences and best practices in healthcare delivery.
Who should attend?: All top officials from the major international healthcare organisations. more |
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Climate
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Commission moves forward on climate and energy towards 2030
On 27th March 2013, the European Commission adopted a Green Paper on "A 2030 framework for climate and energy policies". This document launches a public consultation lasting until 2 July, allowing Member States, other EU institutions and stakeholders to express their views; for example on the type, nature and level of potential climate and energy targets for 2030, but also on other important aspects of EU energy policy in a 2030 perspective. more |
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Chemicals
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EDC-free campaign website launched by coalition of public interest groups
An informal coalition of European public interest groups, concerned about how endocrine disruptors (EDCs) may be harming health, has recently launched an EDC Free website outlining a campaign call to action for an EDC Free Europe. The diverse group of more than 25 campaign partners including trade unions, public health and healthcare professionals, advocates for cancer prevention, environmentalists and women’s groups launched a campaign call for action via a new website and social media tools. more |
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New information from REACH registrations extends the SIN List
The SIN List has today been updated to version 2.1, adding additional chemicals to the list of Substances of Very High Concern identified by ChemSec. The new additions are mainly substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction. Besides new information from REACH registrations dossiers, the SIN update also includes substances newly classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction according to the EU CLP regulation. Also, a few substances recently agreed by EU member states as Substances of Very High Concern and included on the Candidate List have been added. more. |
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Mercury
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Report of the intergovernmental negotiating committee to prepare a global legally binding instrument on mercury on the work of its fifth session
The fifth and final session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee was held in Geneva from 13 to 18 January 2013. With the Executive Director stating that the significant progress made on a range of issues over the previous four years gave grounds for optimism for the outcome of the fifth and final session. Considering this, there was a strong urge to finalize a draft mercury instrument for endorsement by the Governing Council and for signature at a diplomatic conference to be held in Japan later that year. more |
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Notice: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for research and educational purposes. As all these articles are public, some links might expire after some days after their release date. |
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