FEBRUARY
23 February - Indoor air quality: Radon Prevention and Remediation Workshop
Radon from rock formations beneath buildings is still a major source of concern for indoor air quality and related health effects in Europe. The Steering Committee of the Radon Prevention and Remediation (RADPAR) project invites all to participate in a workshop dedicated to this issue. A key objective is to gain a better understanding of the health risks related to radon in the indoor environment and play a key role towards radon prevention and remediation.
Details at: http://web.jrc.ec.europa.eu/radpar
MARCH
1 to 2 March - Climate Change and Health Effects Workshop
As Europe’s citizens are concerned about the impact that climate change can have on their health and expect policy makers to act, a project, called Climate-TRAP, has been developed. The project is coordinated by HEAL Vice President Peter van den Hazel representing the Public Health Services Gelderland-Midden (HGM). Climate-TRAP results will play a pivotal role in strengthening existing warning systems and the Health Sector in its preparedness for facing the health impact of climate change. This event will review the impact climate change has on health, how we can prepare to mitigate further concerns, and what guidelines and good examples can be used.
Details at www.climatetrap.eu
14-15 March 2012 – Copenhagen, Denmark Conference on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance - Time for Joint Action
In a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, the Danish EU Presidency will host a conference which will focus on the use of antimicrobials in both human and veterinary medicine. The conference will aim to address the challenges of AMR and how to tackle this microbial threat at EU level by reviewing the situation, exchanging best practices and discussing possible solutions – actions that work.
Details at: www.ssi.dk/Aktuelt/Nyheder/2... - dansk/Aktuelt/Nyheder/Conference on Antimicrobial Resistanc Copenhagen Denmark 14-15 March 2012 (2).ashx
20-30 March 2012 – Europe-wide: Pesticide Action Week
The 7th edition of the Pesticides Alternatives Week will take place in March, with activities in many countries in Europe and internationally. The week aims to raise awareness on the health and environment risks of synthetic pesticides, highlight alternative solutions, and build a global grassroots movement for a pesticide-free world. On 23+24 March, a conference in Paris will bring together farmers and others whose health has been affected by pesticides, organised by HEAL member Générations Futures, where HEAL will be speaking on health impacts of pesticides and policies to reduce their use.
Details at: www.pesticideactionweek.org or www.semaine-sans-pesticides.com
21 March - European Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Coalition Launch
This lunch meeting aims to raise awareness on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and its alarming impact on health system levels by presenting key data, prevalence figures, and examples of effective political actions to tackle the issues. The event is hosted by Glennis Willmott MEP (S&D, UK) and organised by the European COPD Coalition (ECC) with the support of HEAL member European Public Health Alliance.
Details at: www.copdcoalition.eu
March - European Cancer and Environment Research Institute (ECERI) Meeting
ECERI will be gathering this spring to further study medical and scientific links between cancer and environment.
Details at: http://eceri-institute.org
APRIL
24-26 April 2012 –London, UK: Conference on early exposure of childhood cancer
This conference will start by surveying the incidence, treatment and survival of childhood cancer and then move on to more topics, including exposure to specific agents, genetic and epigenetic effects and exposure pathways. Sessions 6 & 7 are on - Radiation and childhood cancer (including EMF); Sessions 8 and 9 - Chemical pollutants in air, food and water (air pollution, pesticides, biomarkers of exposure), and Session 11 on Exposure pathways (bystander effect, transplacental transfer, and more). The final panel discussion on will be on precaution, led by the question "In terms of public health policy what positive steps can be taken to reduce the risk of childhood cancer?" Conference organisers are inviting submissions for abstracts for both poster and platform presentation by 12 January 2012.
Details at: www.childhoodcancer2012.org.uk
MAY
14-16 May 2012 – Paris, France: Conference on Prenatal Programming and Toxicity (PPTOX)
The theme for this 3rd PPTOX conference is “Environmental Stressors in the Developmental Origins of Disease: Evidence and Mechanisms”. It focuses on how environmental exposures and nutrients during development contribute to or affect development of diseases/dysfunctions later in life. The aim is to review the current literature, identify mechanisms for the effects, to integrate the basic and applied science and identify research gaps and challenges. HEAL will be attending the conference and expect several of our member organisations also present. Deadline for standard abstract submissions is 22 March 2012.
Details at: www.toxicology.org/ai/meet/cct_pptoxiii.asp
JUNE
20-22 June 2012 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20
The conference will review the progress on achieving sustainable development 20 years after the 1992 Rio Conference and aims to reach concrete agreements among governments on key environmental challenges. HEAL gave a response to the consultation that was made highlighting “health” needs to be central process and outcome, giving 4 concrete ways forward to achieve this.
Details at: www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.php?menu=14
