G8 identifies focus on children’s environmental health

A recent Environment Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) major industrialised countries showed renewed focus on children’s health as a fundamental objective of environmental protection and sustainable development.

The meeting, held in Siracusa, Italy on April 22-24 2009 was attended by Environment Ministers and senior officials from G8 countries and the European Commission, as well as officials from Brazil, People`s Republic of China, India, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, Egypt, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Denmark and a number of international organisations and NGOs. The fourth working session was devoted to the theme “Children`s Health and the Environment“ held on the morning of Friday 24 April.

Children`s Health and the Environment

The session on Children`s Health and the Environment was introduced by the key note addresses of H.E. Testuo Saito, Minister of the Environment of Japan and by H.E. Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the United States Environment Protection Agency.

The G8 and other participating countries discussed the merits of a renewed and purposeful focus on safeguarding human health as a fundamental objective of environmental protection and sustainable development. Further discussion was given to the unique circumstances of children in their homes, schools and communities, and the need to do more to ensure that children are born, grow, develop and thrive in environments with clean air, clean water, safe food, and minimal exposure to harmful chemicals.

The G8 countries identified several necessary actions: > Promotion of the rapid phase out of lead in paint. > Completion the global elimination of lead in gasoline. > Collaboration on research studies and research related to the children`s health and the environment including impacts of chemicals, heavy metals and effects of climate change. > Improve the knowledge and build the capacity of all professionals involved in children`s environmental health issues.

Some Ministers expressed interests in continued work on developing indicators of children`s environmental health through the program being managed by the World Health Organization. Further to this, Ministers recalled also that in the context of the Pan-European process fifty-three countries have already adopted a strategic action plan based on agreed priorities for children environment and health.