(Communicated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection)

More than 200 representatives from European governments, international organizations, and NGOs are in Haifa (April 28-30, 2015), for a task force mid-term review of the World Health Organization's European Environment and Health Process (EHP). The meeting provides an opportunity for the task force to review achievements and remaining challenges in the EHP, aimed at improving environmental ills that result in harm to public health.

The EHP brings together 53 countries, including Israel, to address key environment and health challenges. The process began in 1989, but was revised and formalized at a ministerial conference in Parma, Italy in 2010, to ensure implementation of commitments made at that conference in what was called the Parma Declaration.

Senior officials from the environment and health agencies of more than 50 countries are expected to attend the international meeting, in addition to representatives of UN organizations, the European Union, the OECD, and non-governmental organizations that deal with environment and health. The meeting will be headed by WHO Regional Director for Europe, Zsuzsanna Jakab.

Members of the task force members will discuss progress made in Europe in the fields of environment and health. Topics on the agenda include exposure to air pollution, to chemicals, and to asbestos, water and sanitation, children's exposure to pollutants in schools, the impact of climate change and its connection to public health, and more.

The task force mid-term review taking place this week provides an opportunity for participants to look at the progress that has been made since the Parma conference five years ago, and what steps must still be taken before the next ministerial conference, set for 2017.