Politiche e strumenti internazionali in materia di ambiente e salute: indicazioni per il Piano a azione in Italia

A growing amount of knowledge has been provided in recent years about environment and health: the need to jointly tackle the issues has been recognized, with the aim of producing more detailed and focused studies and planning actions to reduce the negative impacts of some human activities on the environment. Attention is being given especially to children, as more vulnerable subjects demanding greater attention and precaution, since they represent the future of mankind. All this is happening in a more and more complex and intermingled international framework, in which States seek and try to implement common and synergic actions. This report analyzes European Union and World Health Organization (WHO) policies on Health and the Environment, illustrates the tools provided by international Treaties and Conventions, and examines the National Environment and Health Action Plans of some country. These materials will be useful as food for thought to elaborate hints and methodological suggestions to be used in the drafting of a National Environment and Health Action Plan for Italy, who in 2009 will host the Fifth Ministerial Conference on the Environment and Health, gathering the 52 Countries of the WHO European Region