Sustainable Development

OECD & EPHA - Inclusive Growth only possible by challenging current growth model

On April 3, EPHA Secretary General participated in a high-level workshop on "Defining and Measuring Inclusive Growth" organised by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). With this initiative, the OECD wants to revise the way economic growth is approached– from purely pro-growth to inclusive growth – while seeking ways to improve the way policy is made and implemented. A key objective of the workshop was to develop a roadmap for policies for inclusive (...)

[EPT] Fund for European Aid - European Fund - Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (updated on 18 March)

Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived The European Commission (DG Employment) has proposed to set up a European Aid Fund to help the most deprived persons in the EU. A successor to the Food Aid to the Most Deprived, this new Fund would support member state schemes not only by providing food aid to the most deprived people, but also clothing and other essential goods to homeless people and materially-deprived children (such as shoes, soap and shampoo). The proposal is yet to be (...)

[Press Release] EU agriculture budget must favour healthy foodstuff, not chronic disease in the form of tobacco subsidies

Brussels, 4 March – In the run up to next week’s European Parliament (EP) vote on the 2014-2020 EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), national delegations from the three largest political groups in the EP (1) are set to decide their negotiating mandate for the agriculture funds: a budge heading that will consume 38 percent of the next seven-year EU budget. The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) calls on Europe’s political ‘families’ not to support the (...)

[Open Letter] 250 Organisations Alarmed by the Prospect of Regressive Common Agricultural Policy reform

A healthy common agricultural policy (CAP) is very relevant in the context of tackling chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). That is why the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and the European Public Health & Agriculture Consortium (EPHAC) - along with more than 250 NGOs - have signed up to an open letter from civil society calling for a public health & environmental friendly CAP reform. This should be a wake-up call for all members of the European Parliament. Why is the (...)

EU’s Common Agricultural Policy - between Continuity and Reform

EPHA received an invitation to the policy debate facilitated by the Hans Seidel Stiftung held on 25 February 2013 18:30-21:00 at the representation of the Free State of Bavaria. The following article contains the arguments/key messages addressed by the speakers. Introduction Europe is entering a decisive period. Tight budgets, the pressure of globalisation and growing mistrust towards Brussels requires an efficient use of resources and a concentration on priorities. Together with (...)

[Evaluation] Council discussed reform of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) & mislabelled beef products

Between 25-26 February, EU Agriculture Ministers held a public debate in Brussels over the direct payments regulation and the horizontal regulation, within the framework of the common agricultural policy (CAP) reform. The debate included discussion on the basic payment scheme and whether it was transparent who the beneficiaries of CAP payments are. Ministers were also briefed on the mislabelling of beef products. Reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP) Ministers held two policy (...)

Land grabbing - With land goes water

Under pressure from rising food prices, many nations have begun to acquire large tracts of agricultural land in foreign countries, a practice known as ‘land grabbing’. New research has now quantified current levels of land grabbing and demonstrated that it is accompanied by concerning levels of ‘water grabbing’ which could affect water supplies in those countries. Under pressure from rising food prices, many nations have begun Land grabbing, defined as the (...)

[EPHA Consultation] Response on sustainable development

EPHA took part in the recent consultation on sustainable development. At the meeting, EPHA suggested a number of ways that health could be promoted in the follow up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) 2012. EPHA strongly supports the efforts made by the Council to support sustainable development and the Beyond GDP agenda. Moreover, EPHA calls on the Commission to include a health dimension and to give strong political support for progress measures beyond GDP (...)

The uncertain health impacts of climate change - a new study in the Netherlands

A new study commissioned by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency and carried out by the Copernicus Institute at Utrecht University assesses the potential impacts of climate change on human health in the Netherlands. The researchers asked health experts to rate the level of uncertainty attached to different health impacts of climate change. As a result, heat-related deaths and vector-borne diseases were indicated as particularly relevant to climate change adaptation. What was the (...)

Preventing global non-communicable diseases through low carbon development

Both non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and climate change are enormous threats to global health - synergies attempting to tackle these major health threats have received limited attention to date. The increasing burden of NCDs poses an enormous threat to populations and health systems across the globe. At the same time, the impacts of climate change are predicted to have profound public health effects and there is an urgent need for transition to low-carbon economies. Although important (...)