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Health and Environment Linkages Initiative
[last updated June 2, 2005 12:00 AM]
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General Information
Partnership website(s) |
Expected TimeframeAugust 2002 - March 2005 |
Partners
Governments:
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Major Groups:
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UN System:
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Other intergovernmental organizations:
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Thematic Focus
Primary Themes:
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Secondary Themes:
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Geographic Coverage
Geographic Scope: Global
Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented: Brazil, Canada, Thailand, Uganda, United States of America |
National Focal Points
This partnership has made contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the countries involved
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Goals and Objectives
Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives
The overall goal of the Health and Environment Linkages Initiative is to facilitate and enhance effective actions to reduce adverse environmental impacts on human health. The goals of the initiative can be defined as:
1) defining the specific requirements of decision-makers in environment and health particularly in developing countries;
2) making the necessary scientific information accessible to decision-makers;
3) adapting existing methodologies that support decision-making, so they are applicable in a range of settings;
4) training decision-makers and their support staff to use decision-support tools
5) carrying out pilot studies to gain hands-on detailed information, and to test and refine the tools developed; and,
6) support all phases of the initiative by communicating HELI's aims, activities and outputs, as well as relevant knowledge and experience gained, via appropriate media and media aids including the production and dissemination of a tool kit in both printed and electronic formats.
The tool kit would provide practitioners with comprehensive and accessible guidelines on how to reach evidence-based decision on issues with a potential health and environment linkage, and how to evaluate relevant outcomes.
1) defining the specific requirements of decision-makers in environment and health particularly in developing countries;
2) making the necessary scientific information accessible to decision-makers;
3) adapting existing methodologies that support decision-making, so they are applicable in a range of settings;
4) training decision-makers and their support staff to use decision-support tools
5) carrying out pilot studies to gain hands-on detailed information, and to test and refine the tools developed; and,
6) support all phases of the initiative by communicating HELI's aims, activities and outputs, as well as relevant knowledge and experience gained, via appropriate media and media aids including the production and dissemination of a tool kit in both printed and electronic formats.
The tool kit would provide practitioners with comprehensive and accessible guidelines on how to reach evidence-based decision on issues with a potential health and environment linkage, and how to evaluate relevant outcomes.
Targets and Progress
Partnership targetsThe initiative consists of a series of six work packages, each relating to the major goals outlined above. There are specific objectives, activities and expected input/references for each work package with clear lines of responsibility that the secretariat oversees.
Work package 1: Defining the Knowledge Needs (to be completed March 2004) Work package 2: Summarising the knowledge base (to be completed March 2004) Work package 3: Adapting methodologies (to be completed March 2004 with ongoing activities until March 2005) Work package 4: Building Capacity (to be completed September 2004) Work package 5: Pilot projects (to be completed December 2004) Work package 6: Communication of project findings (to be completed March 2005) |
Progress against targetsThus far, the HELI secretariat has completed outlining the strategic approach, the expected input/references, and points of inquiry for work packages 1-3. In March 2003, it is expected that the first draft of work package one will be completed and reviewed by the HELI team, outside experts and the International Steering committee.
HELI now has an operative web site providing brochures, policy briefs, and a data base of more than 800 web accessible resources on health and environment policy issues: www.who.int/heli. |
Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
- Human resources development/training
- Other
The Linkages Initiative focuses on developing tools and methodologies that can improve policy making, including guidelines for the application of integrated environmental and health impact assessments and economic valuation and analysis.
Relationship to International Agreements on Sustainable Development
How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
The Health and Environment Linkages Initiative aims to help achieve specific objectives stated in Agenda 21:
· Bridging the Data Gap - There is a general lack of capacity, particularly in developing countries, and in many areas at the international level, for the collection and assessment of data, for their transformation into useful information and for their dissemination (40.3.)
· To strengthen local, provincial, national and international capacity to collect and use multisectoral information in decision-making processes and to enhance capacities to collect and analyze data and information for decision-making, particularly in developing countries (40.5.,b)
· All countries, particularly developing countries, with the support of international cooperation, should strengthen their capacity to collect, store, organize, assess and use data in decision-making more effectively (40.16.) As stated in the WSSD Plan of Implementation there is a gap between developed and developing countries in terms of the decision-making capacity to improve policy responses at the national and sub-national levels. HELI aims to synthesize scientific, technical and socio-economic information on health and environment linkages in order to develop decision-making tools and enhance the capacity of policy makers, particularly in developing countries. Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
· Bridging the Data Gap - There is a general lack of capacity, particularly in developing countries, and in many areas at the international level, for the collection and assessment of data, for their transformation into useful information and for their dissemination (40.3.)
· To strengthen local, provincial, national and international capacity to collect and use multisectoral information in decision-making processes and to enhance capacities to collect and analyze data and information for decision-making, particularly in developing countries (40.5.,b)
· All countries, particularly developing countries, with the support of international cooperation, should strengthen their capacity to collect, store, organize, assess and use data in decision-making more effectively (40.16.) As stated in the WSSD Plan of Implementation there is a gap between developed and developing countries in terms of the decision-making capacity to improve policy responses at the national and sub-national levels. HELI aims to synthesize scientific, technical and socio-economic information on health and environment linkages in order to develop decision-making tools and enhance the capacity of policy makers, particularly in developing countries. Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
Protecting and promoting human health conditions; Information for decision-making
Relevant Sections of the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 Means of implementation
Relevant Sections of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation Health and sustainable development ; Means of implementation
Coordination and Implementation
Coordination Mechanism of the PartnershipThe international steering committee is composed participants from Canada, United Sates, UNEP, WHO, Brazil, Thailand, and Uganda. The steering committee provides strategic guidance, major budget decisions and approval of project outputs. The Secretariat is composed of WHO and UNEP staff that are responsible for the day-to-day project co-ordination, technical oversight and quality control. The partner countries have representatives of Health and Environment Ministries that are involved in the design and implementation of pilot projects. Members invited by the ISC and the Secretariat make an Ad hoc Technical Advisory groups that provide advice on specific work packages and pilot projects.
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Implementation Mechanism of the Partnership |
Resources
Funding Currently AvailableAmount in US$:
Source(s): Government
Health Canada and Environment Canada |
Non-financial resources availableType(s): Staff
Source(s): IGO
UNEP and WHO |
Funding SoughtRequired Amount in US$:
Source(s) already approached:
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Non-financial resources soughtRequirement(s): UNEP and WHO
Source(s) approached and details:
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Additional Information
Additional Relevant Information
not specified