Abstract
WHO – European Centre for Environment and Health is implementing an indicator system based on internationally agreed methodology and comparable data. The design objective is improved communication on main environmental health (EH) concerns and related actions in ten policy areas: air (ambient and indoor) quality, housing and settlements, traffic, noise, radiation, waste and contaminated lands, water and sanitation, food safety, chemical emergencies, workplace. The system will also contribute to an integrated assessment of progress in selected issues relevant for sustainable development.
The paper summarizes the process of the establishment of the indicator-based system at WHO European region-wide scale. It gives an insight into the methodological development of environmental health indicators and the approaches for selecting a common (‘core’) set. It also presents the results from feasibility testing of the system in several Member States and summarizes the problems and challenges encountered throughout the process.