In 2017, the Euro­pean Mem­ber Sta­tes of the WHO com­mit­ted com­mit­ted to deve­lo­ping deve­lop natio­nal port­fo­li­os for action on envi­ron­ment and health. The port­fo­li­os should help to ensu­re that Mem­ber Sta­tes have well-coor­di­na­ted, com­pre­hen­si­ve and coher­ent stra­te­gies and poli­ci­es to address the bur­den of dise­a­se cau­sed by envi­ron­men­tal risks. Many count­ries in the WHO Euro­pean Regi­on ful­fil­led this com­mit­ment.

To sup­port the pro­cess, the WHO Euro­pean Cent­re for Envi­ron­ment Health (WHO ECEH) iden­ti­fied the need to ana­ly­se in-depth the pro­gress and bar­riers as well as enab­ling fac­tors for Mem­ber Sta­tes to com­ply with this com­mitt­ment. Assi­gned by the ECEH, CPHP pro­vi­ded an assess­ment of the pro­cess and pro­gress of deve­lo­p­ment and imple­men­ta­ti­on of natio­nal port­fo­li­os as a poli­cy brief pre­sen­ted at the seventh Minis­te­ri­al Con­fe­rence in July 2023 in Buda­pest. This assess­ment was car­ri­ed out through a desk review, a sur­vey and inter­views.

Pro­ject aims

The ana­ly­sis aimed at ana­ly­sing strengths and short­co­mings of the port­fo­li­os’ deve­lo­p­ment and imple­men­ta­ti­on pro­cess and to show­ca­se good prac­ti­ce examp­les. The results infor­med decis­i­on making in the frame­work of the Euro­pean Envi­ron­ment and Health Pro­cess (EHP) and sup­port the Euro­pean Envi­ron­ment and Health Task Force (EHTF) and the Mem­ber Sta­tes with the deve­lo­p­ment and imple­men­ta­ti­on of their natio­nal port­fo­li­os.

Methods

CPHP pre­pared their ana­ly­sis based on the fol­lo­wing steps:

1. Desk review of the exis­ting natio­nal port­fo­li­os.
2. Deve­lop a metho­do­lo­gi­cal approach to iden­ti­fy strengths and oppor­tu­ni­ties short­co­mings of port­fo­li­os deve­lo­p­ment and imple­men­ta­ti­on pro­cess inclu­ding prio­ri­ty are­as, stake­hol­ders and part­ner­ships, bud­get and resour­ces etc.
3. Con­duct inter­views with key infor­mants from Mem­ber Sta­tes and stake­hol­ders.
4. Con­duct a sur­vey on natio­nal port­fo­li­os deve­lo­p­ment and imple­men­ta­ti­on pro­gress.
5. Deve­lop a poli­cy ana­ly­sis and plan­ning report.
6. Coll­ect a set of natio­nal port­fo­li­os and case stu­dies which illus­tra­te what has been done natio­nal­ly to enhan­ce the envi­ron­ment and health within natio­nal, sub­na­tio­nal and local govern­ments.
7. Com­pi­la­ti­on of the results in a poli­cy brief that out­lines oppor­tu­ni­ties and recom­men­da­ti­ons for action.

Fur­ther infor­ma­ti­on and mate­ri­als

Pro­ject dura­ti­on

Sep­tem­ber 2022 — Febru­ary 2023

Cont­act per­sons

Pro­ject part­ner

WHO Euro­pean Cent­re for Envi­ron­ment and Health (WHO ECEH)