Environmental health and economics: use of economic tools and methods in environmental health

Report of the WHO Regional Office for Europe First Expert Symposium, 29-30 November 2012, Bonn, Germany

The WHO European Centre for Environment and Health (Bonn, Germany) convened a meeting of key European experts in the field of environmental health economics on the topic “A European Strategic Framework for Environmental Health Economics” on 29–30 November 2012. The Meeting aimed to provide a forum for open discussion on how to incorporate economics into evidence-based decision-making in environment and health. The objectives were to: discuss and analyse how the recent economic situation is relevant for WHO and other health agencies and how this change can benefit or hinder the environmental health agenda; identify the priority issues and goals in connection with economics and environmental health that are suitable for assisting Member States in policy-making; and develop a draft strategic framework on environmental health economics, including areas and issues that are priorities for future pilot studies. Looking ahead to the 6th European Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health in 2016, the mid-term objective was to develop a fully-fledged European WHO and partner framework and implementation plan for the next four years, and to discuss and initiate a new WHO partner network in economics and environmental health. The Meeting made conclusions and recommendations for the development of an environmental health economics network and draft strategic framework.