2012

JANUARY

11 January 2012 – Brussels, Belgium: Roundtable discussion on Noise protection in Europe

Panel discussion on the European noise policies – EU Environmental Noise Directive and noise reduction at source – at the representation of Rhineland-Palatinate in Brussels. HEAL will be highlighting the health impacts of noise pollution and prevention opportunities.

Details soon at: www.mulewf.rlp.de/aktuelles/veranstaltungen/

2011

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

• 14-16 November Lodz, Poland: 6th International Conference on Children’s health and the environment

From 14-16 November, the 6th International Conference on Children’s Health, Environment and Safety will take place in Lodz, Poland, organized by HEAL member International Network on Children’s Health Environment and Safety (INCHES). The conference is a key opportunity to hear the latest research findings in children’s environment and health and to discuss with health experts, scientists and policy-makers.

HEAL will be hosting a workshop on: “Science to policy: strengthening EU environmental policies to protect children’s health”. A specific focus will be how to reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Learn more at: www.cehn.org/files/INCHES_Lodz_Poland.pdf

• 22 November Brussels, Belgium: EFA Respiratory Allergy Book Launch event

The European Federation of Allergy & Airways Diseases Patients´ Association (EFA) is hosting an event at the European Parliament in Brussels along with Mrs. Elisabetta Gardina (MEP) to mark the launch of its book on respiratory allergies. While respiratory allergies remain the most common within Europe and worldwide, they are often underestimated, under diagnosed and undertreated despite their impact on health. During this event, EFA aims to positively inform about the need for increased awareness and control of respiratory allergies and call for the adoption of allergy programmes across the EU to reduce the burden of the disease on individuals and societies. The event will gather various stakeholders at different levels, including MEPs, EU officials, patient and medical communities to address this major health challenge. HEAL will be attending. Learn more at: www.efanet.org

• 28 November - 9 December Durban, South Africa: UN Climate Change Conference - COP 17 Discussions

The UNFCC conference in Durban this year will bring together representatives of the world’s governments, international organizations and civil society. HEAL is sending a delegation to represent its work on climate and health along with that of its members.

On the delegation: Juliet Duff from the Irish Doctors’ Environmental Association (IDEA), Professor Hugh Edward Montgomery from the UCL Institute for Global Health, Elizabeth Finch who is a medical student also from the UCL Institute for Global Health, as well as Pendo Maro from HEAL and Health Care Without Harm – Europe. HEAL will have a booth for providing evidence of health issues related to climate for UN negotiations with materials for public education and policy-makers to build a: Healthy Planet, Healthy People. HEAL is also jointly providing a side event on Climate Change and Public Health: Healthy Climate, Healthy People, Healthy Economy. Learn more at: http://unfccc.int/2860.php

OCTOBER

• 6 - 7 Brussels - HEAL Annual General Assembly (AGA) - Brussels, Belgium
• 6 Brussels - Film and debate: "Our daily poison" with French film director Marie-Monique Robin during HEAL AGA
• 17 London, UK - The Health and Security Perspectives of Climate Change - How to secure our future wellbeing This conference will bring together high level climate, health and security specialists to discuss joined up strategies and policies for addressing this threat in the run up to the Durban Climate negotiations in December. HEAL is one of the partners for the conference. View programme and register for the conference at http://climatechange.bmj.com.

SEPTEMBER

• 24-28 September 2011: European Respiratory Society (ERS) Annual Congress, Amsterdam, Netherlands. The congress will see the world’s respiratory experts meet to exchange views and share knowledge. Registration now open.
• 13-16 Sept 2011 – Barcelona, Spain: 23rd Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology - ISEE Specific themes to be discussed in the conference include Sustainable transport and health: impact of transport on health and approaches to reduce health impacts, Impact of climate change: from water scarcity to Saharan dust episodes, Early exposure - later life: in utero and early life exposures and effects in later life, and New methods and technologies. HEAL participated in a symposium on cancer and chemicals.
• 12-13 Sept 2011 – Barcelona, Spain: Plenary meeting of European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects – ESCAPE HEAL is on the advisory board of this EU funded project. The ESCAPE meeting will precede the ISEE conference (detailed below).

JULY

• 6 July 2011: European Network on Noise and Health (ENNAH) final conference, Brussels, Belgium.. The conference will present recommendations and policy implications of ENNAH’s findings. The network of 33 partners from 16 countries evaluated the research use of noise maps and actions plans, formulated points for future research directions and informed the development of the European Noise Directive.

JUNE

• 13-17 June 2011: WHO Global Health Council: Securing a healthier future in a changing world Washington D.C., US.

• 6-17 June 2011: UN Climate Change Conference June 2011, Bonn, Germany. Prof. Hugh Montgomery from the University College London will be representing HEAL at this year’s UNFCCC Bonn climate conference. He will bring the voice of the health community to international policy makers, calling for policies that protect people’s health as well as the environment. Prof. Montgomery has strong experience of work in this field and was also part of the HEAL delegation in last year’s climate talks in Cancun. Watch Hugh in action here...