The Preparatory Process in Hungary for the Healthy Planet Forum
2003 - June 25
• The National Environmental Health institute of Hungary launched an info page on the previous Ministerial Conferences - http://www.antsz.gov.hu/oki/4min.htm
June-August
• The Nádasdy Foundation organised 2 symposiums on the "Future for our Children" preparations (June 28, Aug. 9.) - http://www.nadasdy.org/english/forum/index.html
September-October
• Sep. 24 - the monthly "Green Forum" will discuss the Forum and the contribution of the Hungarian green movement
• Oct. 14. - The first "assembly" of the Hungarian Environmental and Health Non-Governmental Organisations - we hope to create an ad.-hoc alliance of Civil Society Groups.
One year to Budapest: calendar of events June 2003 - June 2004
The official calendar of events related to the Ministerial Conference, compiled by the WHO
http://www.euro.who.int/budapest2004/20030707_2
About the previous ministerial conferences - A historical overview
The original goal of the Ministerial conference series was to eliminate the most significant environmental threats to health as rapidly as possible. To ensure representative policy decisions, ministries and intergovernmental organizations, civil society organizations and other groups were invited to participate. The process opened in Frankfurt in 1989 and is now in its 14th year.
First Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health
Frankfurt-am-Main, 1989, 7-8 December
This meeting was the first time that ministers of health and ministers of environment met in common forum.Outcome:
The European Charter on Environment and Health;
Ministerial agreement on the basic principles, mechanisms and priorities for environment and health programmes;
Establishment of the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health;
An agreement to hold a follow-up conference in five years.Second Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health
Helsinki, 1994, 20-22 June
Ministers of Health and Environment reviewed a comprehensive assessment of the situation in Europe called "Concern for Europe's Tomorrow".Outcome:
Adoption of the Declaration for Action on Environment and Health in Europe, which initiated the Environmental Health Action Plan for Europe (EHAPE);
Commitment of countries to develop national environment and health action plans (NEHAPs);
Establishment of the first European Environment and Health Committee (EEHC) and agreement on a follow-up conference in five years.Third Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health
London, 1999, 16-18 June
Outcome:
The biggest political event on environment and health ever held in Europe.
Adoption of:
The legally binding Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes;
The Charter on Transport, Environment and Health; and the London Declaration.At this conference, the parallel Healthy-Planet-Forum discussed topics such as genetically modified organisms, access to environment and health information, public participation and vulnerability, in addition to hosting a popular Food Summit.