Representatives of 53 WHO Member States will gather in Parma, Italy, on 10-12 March 2010 to review the impact of national and cross-border environmental policies on the health status of the population of the WHO European Region: over 890 million people. The three-day Fifth
Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health is the latest milestone in an intergovernmental process that started in 1989.
The event will bring together over 800 participants from countries across the European Region, including ministers of health and of the environment, representatives of the European Commission, intergovernmental and nongovernmental stakeholders, scientists and youth delegates.
Governments of countries in the European Union (EU) and other parts of the WHO European Region are expected to adopt a declaration reinforcing their commitment to reducing major environmental risk factors (including unsafe water and sanitation, contaminated air and dangerous chemicals) and emerging global threats (such as climate change). The declaration, to be signed on 12 March 2010, will commit governments to achieve clear goals in the next 10 years.
