European WHO division seeks to protect health from 'triple crisis'

The European Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) plans to accelerate efforts to combat the harmful effects of climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution on peoples' health.

At a conference in Budapest on Thursday, WHO regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge and other government representatives signed a declaration that outlines a series of measures to avoid the "ticking time-bomb."

"We have now adopted the Budapest Declaration. It has taken a superhuman effort for us to reach this point," Kluge said at the conference, according to a WHO statement the dpa obtained.

The so-called Budapest Declaration aims to address the impact of the climate, biodiversity and pollution crises on human health.

According to the declaration, at least 1.4 million people die prematurely in the 53 nations of the European region each year due to environmental risk factors such as air pollution.

It is worrying that the "triple crisis" of climate change, pollution and species extinction is having an unprecedented and rapid impact on ecosystems as well as on the health of humans and animals, the document said.

In the declaration, the ministers and representatives of the member states commit to a two-pronged approach aimed at achieving a just transition to resilient, healthy, equitable and sustainable societies.

Countries aim to improve their disaster and emergency preparedness and aim to address the environmental factors that harm health.

Central to this goal is the so-called "Roadmap for healthier people, a thriving planet and a sustainable future 2023–2030," which is part of the Budapest Declaration.

The lessons of the coronavirus pandemic are also to be incorporated into the process.