Health and strategic environmental assessment: background information and report: WHO consultation meeting, Rome, Italy, 8–9 June 2009

ABSTRACT

The application of impact assessment is increasingly important for development of sustainable projects and policies. Substantial progress has been made on how to meaningfully include health in strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and other forms of impact assessment. However, in the light of the evolving policy context in Europe further promotion of the consideration of health effects and support with all sectors of civil society, including the health sector is required. In line with this, the Budapest Declaration on Environment and Health, 2004, calls for taking “significant health effects into account in the assessment of strategic proposals”. Hence WHO is working to assist its Member States with their respective ministries of health to engage into the SEA process. This report summarizes the general discussion and conclusions of an international consultation meeting on “Health and strategic environmental assessment”. The overall aim of the consultation meeting was to seek further advice from SEA and health experts and discuss challenges and opportunities for the further involvement of the health sector in SEA and strategic planning processes.