One Sustainable Health for All Declaration unveiling at the Learning Planet Institute
On December 11, 2023, we presented our environmental, animal and human health experts' recommendations for achieving sustainable health at the Learning Planet Institute in Paris. These recommendations are all published in the One Sustainable Health for All Declaration.
The Covid 19 pandemic has highlighted our human, environmental and institutional weaknesses, and sparked a growing awareness of the continuum that exists between Environmental, Animal and Human Health ("One Health") in a holistic approach without geographical boundaries ("Global Health").
With this in mind, in 2020, the Foundation Une Santé Durable pour Tous, launched the "One Sustainable Health" (OSH) Forum to bring together a diversity of organisations and experts around the "One Health" challenge aligned with the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Over 200 experts from some thirty countries have been involved in a transdisciplinary approach over the past two years, working in six international thematic working groups, and have now submitted operational recommendations aimed at :
- Reducing the impact of human pollution and its pressure on biodiversity and the climate
- Organize sustainable food systems for better nutrition
- Harmonize man's relationship with nature and the wild world
- Promoting equitable access to health services
- Adapting financial tools to ensure a single health for all
- Integrate "One Health" principles and practices into local communities.
These recommendations are based on 4 transversal pillars:
- Public knowledge of challenges and solutions, using examples that bring together knowledge and field practices in human, animal and global health.
- The financing of the Sustainable Health approach, which remains strategic to ensure its successful implementation.
- Scientific data and evidence are clearly identified as essential to ensure an effective understanding of the interrelationships between the multiple factors impacting on sustainable health. They provide the basis for decision-making, risk prioritization and sustainable research funding.
- Strategy and governance must be optimized to foster local action through public policies that encourage and promote regional, national and international initiatives in favor of sustainable health alone.
Download the One Sustainable Health for All Declaration
One Health : Preparedness, partnerships and science to prevent systemic health risks
On November 28, 2023, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) organized the International Partnership Forum at the CosmoCaixa Barcelona. This event served as a platform for engaging discussions on critical Global Health issues among a diverse group of partners. It aimed to unveil the institution's upcoming strategy, seeking valuable insights from participants. Notably, Benoit MIRIBEL participated in Panel 3 titled "An Integrated Approach to Address the Planet’s Health Crisis."
The panel delved into topics such as planetary boundaries, the convergence of climate and health, challenges posed by zoonotic diseases through the One Health perspective, and the concept of Planetary Health. Distinguished experts from various disciplines explored the interconnected nature of these issues, striving for integrated solutions.
Continuing the momentum, on the 29th, ISGlobal organized an event during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, co-hosted by One Europe for Global Health. This occasion provided a platform to reflect on key aspects of the One Sustainable Health approach. An esteemed group of experts, including the Spanish Ambassador for Global Health, Borja CABEZON and Carla FREITAS CAMPOS from Fiocruz, engaged in insightful exchanges, contributing reflections to the public discourse and EU policy-making on Global Health and One Sustainable Health.
Such initiatives underscore the importance of dismantling silos in health data and fostering networks for a cohesive approach. Join us in this collaborative endeavor for the collective well-being of Global Health.
World Health Summit 2023
The Sustainable Health for All Foundation took part in the World Health Summit in Berlin from October 15 to 17, 2023, organizing two sessions:
- A round table "Towards a Sustainable Health Institute" organized by members of professional civil society involved in the OEGH coalition and representatives of member states. The focus was on the creation of a multi-center "One Sustainable Health Institute" initiated by Europe.
- A session on "Tackling One Sustainable Health Challenges – Facing Health, Environmental and Social Issues Together", co-organized by the Lancet One Health Commission and the One Sustainable Health Forum. The two entities began their activities two years ago, each focusing on complementary aspects of the impact and implementation of One Health. They presented the essence of their respective recommendations.
Towards a One Sustainable Health institute
Our session "Towards a One Sustainable Health institute” held at the World Health Summit, was organized by the One Europe for Global Health (OEGH) Coalition. This strategic, by invitation only roundtable, brought together leaders and policy influencers from over 15 countries to engage in a fruitfuldiscussion about the institutionalization, financing, and governance of the One Sustainable Health (OSH) framework.
During this pivotal event, several compelling strategies were deliberated upon to transition from mere conceptualization to effective action within the framework of One Health :
👉 Empowering Youth Leadership : galvanizing the energy and enthusiasm of Youth, thereby cultivating a new generation of health leaders who are acutely aware of the intricate challenges that global health presents.
👉 Multistakeholder Engagement : recognizing the necessity of diverse perspectives, the event urged participants from various sectors and regions to collaborate. This inclusivity sought to bridge not only the gap between the global north and south but also to celebrate the invaluable experience and contributions of the global south.
👉 Promoting Collaborative Integration : the concept of "integrative collaboration" was highlighted, underlining the importance of harnessing the collective power of communities and stakeholders to advance the OSH vision.
👉 Tailored Training Initiatives : acknowledging the need for specialised training, the event proposed the development of targeted educational programs designed to instill a deep understanding of the One Sustainable Health approach.
👉 Transdisciplinary Synergy : Strengthening transdisciplinarity was emphasized to harmonize the knowledge and expertise of all sectors involved, encouraging a holistic approach to global health.
👉 Leveraging Digital Technologies: The event recognized the potential of digital technologies in enhancing communication, data and knowledge-sharing around One Sustainable Health, thereby facilitating global collaboration.
The One Sustainable Health approach, though age-old in conception, now stands at the cusp of transformative action. The establishment of a One Sustainable Health Institute initiated by Europe is envisioned as a catalyst to unify solutions and elevate them to the forefront of the political agenda.
Tackling One Sustainable Health Challenges – Facing Health, Environmental and Social Issues Together
Our session “Tackling One sustainable Health challenges” co-organized by The Lancet One Health Commission and One Sustainable Health Forum came to an end with some concrete recommendations on how to implement the One Health approach :
👉 The communities must be at the center of the decisions (Dr. Awa Marie Coll Seck, Minister of State to the President, Senegal)
👉 Work on deep prevention is a key aspect of the One Health approach (Dr. Andrea Winkler, Co-chair of The Lancet One Health Commission, Germany)
👉 Increase the community resilience and encourage collaboration between NGO’s, private sector, scientists and government (Runa Khan Founder and Executive Director of Friendship, Bangladesh)
👉 Convince the economists and policy makers. Committing to One Health is a political decision (Maria de Lourdes Aguiar Oliveira, Vice President Research, Fiocruz, Brazil)
👉 Reoriente the tax systems and the subsidies, listen to the One Health/Planetary Health communities to know what are the priorities in financing (Agnes Soucat, Director of Health and Social Protection, Agence Française de Développement, France)
👉 Develop a new mindset with more integrative way of collaborating on transdiciplinary issues (Benoît Miribel, Secretary-General of One Sustainable Health for All Foundation)
👉 Focus on education and green equity. Encouraging life long learning (John Amuasi,
Co-chair of The Lancet One Health Commission, Ghana)
