Centre for Health from Environment
HfE
NUI Galway
Lárionad Sláinte Faoi Scàth an Comhshaoil
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page Number
1. Executive Summary
3
2. Introduction
4
3. Organisational objectives and links to University strategy
8
4. Rationale for a Centre for Energy Studies
10
5. Organisation , Management & Research Themes
11
6. Development plans
16
7. Intended outcomes
17
8. Strengths and threats
19
9. Sustainability
19
10. Evaluation
20
11. Conclusion
21
12. Appendix 1.; Management Board
22
13. Appendix 2: Bibliography
23
2
1. Executive Summary
We talk much more about disease than we talk about health. What passes for discussion
on health is mostly about the prevention of disease, the detection of disease and the
treatment of disease. An overwhelming preoccupation with disease is an expensive and
inefficient way to pursue health.
Health is achieved and sustained through our
interaction with the world around us – air, water and food, the people, the footpaths, the
hurling pitches, night clubs and countryside.
The Centre for Health From
Environment will work to place sustaining health through environmental stewardship at
the centre of public policy through teaching, research and advocacy.
The Centre for Health From Environment will be an integral part of the Ryan Institute.
It will function as a virtual centre representing a bringing together of existing research
strands and groups associated with the Ryan Institute and from the wider University
Community to generate and sustain new academic activity.
The CHFE will be managed
by a steering committee of staff members who have an established record of
collaboration and successful funding applications with each other in this area.
There is
no comparable Centre in an Irish University and it is clear from the emergence of such
Centres in major international academic institutions and from calls for research proposals
that there is a niche in this area that NUI Galway is well placed to fill.
3
2. Introduction
Mission. “ health equity through environmental stewardship “
Health.
The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental
and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease”. Key elements of this
definition include recognition of the physical, mental and social dimensions of health and
that health is conceived as a positive attribute and not simply in the negative sense of
absence of disease.
The Environment.
In the context of human health the environment may be considered as “all that is
external to the human host: it can be divided into physical, biological, social, and cultural
” spheres. (Last 1995)
Health From Environment
The World Health Organisation notes that “whether people are healthy or not, is determined by
their circumstances and environment ---- whereas the more commonly considered factors such as access and
use
of
health
care
services
often
have
(http://www.who.int/hia/evidence/doh/en/).
less
of
an
impact”.
This Centre for Health From
Environment (CHFE) is based on recognition of this dependence of health on the
environment and on the concept of health as the most important resource that human
society takes from our environment.
Changing to an Ecological Approach to Health
An ecological perspective on life lived in an environment that sustains wellbeing is the
vision for this Centre. The immediate physical, social and cultural environment in which
we spend our lives exists in and is sustained by the earth’s biosphere. As noted by Kofi
Annan “one of the main reasons the world faces a global environmental crisis is the belief that we human
beings are somehow separate from the natural world in which we live”.
This actual dependence of
human beings on the biosphere is widely recognised by authoritative advocates for health
including the WHO (“the foundations of long-term good health in populations rely in great part on
the
continued
stability
and
functioning
of
the
biosphere's
life-supporting
systems”
(http://www.who.int/topics/environmental_health/en/) however the gap between this
4
reality and public perception and public policy discussions which has focused
overwhelmingly on detection and management of disease need to be addressed.
Although acess to health care systems, particulalry primary health care, and technological
innovation in relation to detection and management of disease contribute to health
protection, alleviation of suffering and prolonging the live of individuals few, if any,
countries have found solutions to ensure equity of access to high cost health care
technology. Equitable access to technological remedies for disease would be associated
with very high and arguably unsustainable economic costs.
Furthermore the
environmental impacts of modern health care systems are recently a focus of
considerable concern. The impacts in terms of energy consumption, waste generation
and pharmaceutical contamination of the environment are significant and growing. It is
therefore increasingly apparent that the social economic and ecological impacts of striving
for health through fixing disease are not sustainable. Sustainable development has been
defined as that “which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs” Brundtland 1987.
The promotion of health is a much more comprehensive concept than influencing and
supporting change in personal lifestyle choice. A focus on personal health and personal
lifestyle choice is the focus of a substantial industry however this approach exaggerates
individual agency and diverts attention from the manner in which the physical, social and
cultural environment that people live in constrains the freedom of individuals and groups
to live a healthy life.
Therefore stewardship of the physical, social and cultural
environment is central to meaningful promotion of physical and mental health for all.
The benefits of an environmental stewardship approach for health can not be considered
fully in terms of estimates of the environmental burden of disease.
Nevertheless such
estimates as we have, with all their imprecision, are useful as an indicator of the need to
improve environmental stewardship.
For Ireland premature deaths related to
environmental factors have been estimated at 5 100 per year with 14% of disease
attributable to environmental factors (2004 WHO Country Profiles). Impacts of climate
change on health are difficult to predict but excess mortality is related to extremes of
temperatue and there are expected impacts other than direct temperature impacts
through air pollution, water and food borne disease and perhaps vector borne disease.
5
Within Europe the five environmental risks of - outdoor air pollution, - indoor air
pollution, -water, sanitation and hygiene, - lead and - injury accounted for 1/3 of the
total burden of disease for children aged 0 to 19 years in the European Region in 2001.
In Europe estimates of premature death from air pollution alone range form 100 000 to
350 000 per year. Environmental factors, including planning and transportation policy
are also central to addressing the problem of physical inactivity, which is estimated to
contribute to 1 million deaths per year in the European Region. From a global
perspective it is estimated that “approximately one-quarter of the global disease burden, and more
than one-third of the burden among children, is due to modifiable environmental factors” (Pruss-Ustun
& Corvalan 2006).
The Parma Declaration on Environment and Health endorsed by 53 European states in
March 2010 represents an important step toward a policy approach that places greater
emphasis on the environment.
The importance of health from environment is also
reflected in the growing emphasis at EU level on the requirement for Health Impact
Assessment in addition to a general Environmental Impact Assessment for major
policies and projects. At a national level the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
have emphasised the importance of the environment for health in noting the “critical
need to form stronger partnerships between the various agencies and medical specialists
in activities that will further the science, education, and health of the community” and in
funding significant research in this area.
(http://erc.epa.ie/safer/iso19115/display?isoID=184 )
A global vision of environment and human health and development is reflected in the
Millennium Development Goals adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2000. MDG 7
(Ensure environmental sustainability) includes targets for the physical environment
including biodiversity, CO2 emissions, stratospheric ozone depletion as well as access to
improved drinking water and improved sanitation. Other goals (1, 2, 3 and 8) require a
transformation of the global social and cultural environment to address poverty, hunger,
and access to education, gender inequality and governance.
Among the central
recommendations of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health is the
need to improve daily living conditions in order to achieve improvement in health.
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The dependence of human health on the integrity of the environment is not uniform.
Some individuals in a society and some nations in the world have more effective power
to understand and control their interaction with the environment than others.
The
concept of environmental justice has emerged from the observation that those
individuals and societies that suffer most from the consequences of environmental
degradation are very often not those who benefit most from the processes that lead to
environmental degradation. The US Environmental Protection Agency has definition of
environmental justice emphasises both distributive and participative justice with their
definition of environmental justice as "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement
of people of all races, cultures, incomes and educational levels with respect to the
development and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. It will
be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental
and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy
environment in which to live, learn, and work".
The recently established Mary
Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice reflects a specific aspect of the growing
international environmental justice movement.
Against this background academic centres dedicated to research, education and advocacy
in the domain of environment and human health are relevant to local, national, European
and global issues. The requirement for capacity to perform independent assessment of
health impacts of environmental change is expected to increase and the academic centre
proposed for NUI Galway can contribute to this area.
Examples of existing centres
outside of Ireland include The Centre for Health and the Global Environment at
Harvard Medical School established in 1996 and the MRC-HPA Centre for Environment
and Health at Imperial College and Kings College London. To date no such academic
centre exists in Ireland and therefore the academic community at NUI Galway, with
colleagues in other third level institutions, have an opportunity and a responsibility to
lead the formation of such a centre in association with partners in the health services,
non-governmental organizations and other higher education institutes.
The Centre for Health From Environment is is based on the following principles
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-
that the most realistic, sustainable and ethical approach to maximizing human health
and achieving greater health equity is through intelligent and sustainable
management of the environment
-
rational environmental management is based on an assessment of opportunities and
risks and an understanding of both the
vulnerability and resilience of the
environment
-
the relationship between environment and health must be considered as a
continuum between local, national, European and global perspectives
-
an emphasis on the positive contribution of good environmental stewardship for
health is as at least as important as highlighting the potential for disease related to
environmental degradation
3. Organisational objectives and links to University strategy
The overarching aim is to provide a platform to develop NUI Galway, together with
partner institutions, as a leading national focus for teaching, research and outreach on the
links between Environment and Health. The Centre is affiliated to the Ryan Institute at
NUI Galway and in keeping with the ethos of the Ryan Institute the Centre for Health
From Environment (CHFE) is interdisciplinary in outlook and in its management
structure.
Environment and Health has been identified for some years as one of the main themes
of the ECI prior to the recent merger of ECI with the MRI to form the Ryan Institute.
The new institute has identified this area as one that will continue to be a central research
theme. A number of researchers have been and are active in this area for more than 5
years and have obtained significant external competitive grant funding. The staff
affiliated with the centre are also involved in teaching, advocacy and policy groups related
to the environment and health and in a number of cases are also practitioners within the
health care system. The CHFE will provide a structured forum for developing this theme
and attracting further funding and developing teaching and civic engagement for staff
and students.
The development of the CHFE represents a step towards implementation of elements of
the NUI Galway strategic plan as follows
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“the ongoing impact which climate change will have on human life creates an
unprecedented need to make environmental concerns central to all our actions “.
“engagement is a distinguishing feature of our University – civic engagement and
engagement with communities “
“promote a spirit of corporate social responsibility in contributing to a more sustainable
green campus environment “
The five thematic research priorities for NUI Galway include Environment Marine and
Energy, Biomedical Science and Engineering, Informatics and Applied Social Sciences
and Public Policy. The CHFE is clearly linked to the research priority of Environment,
Marine and Energy but also intersects in particular with biomedical science and
engineering.
As the environment is a mainstream public policy issue the centre is of
direct relevance also to the thematic area of Applied Social Sciences and Public Policy.
The establishment of the Centre is committed to developing close links with the NUI
Galway “network of collaborating institutions each of which develops excellence in
appropriate priority themes”.
Preliminary contacts have been made with potential
partners in University of Limerick and other institutions regarding the potential for
participation in the work of the Centre. The Medical School Board has indicated its
support for the establishment of the Centre.
Specific Aims and Objectives of the Centre for Health From Environment
(1) To provide a structured framework and brand identity for existing collaborative
research in environment and health within NUI Galway and with partners
around the country
(2) To increase the number of post-graduate research students working on
interdisciplinary research on environment and health
(3) To enhance NUI Galway strategy on engagement and internationalisation
through a clear emphasis on the central role of the global environment in
addressing health equity at a local, national, European and global levels
9
(4) To enhance existing learning and teaching and to develop new modules that
relate environment to health for under-graduate programmes in the College of
Medicine and Health Sciences, the College of Science and other Colleges. To
contribute to new and existing post-graduate courses including contribution to
established programmes such as the BSc in Health and Safety Systems, the
Masters and Higher Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety. To develop a
Masters Programme in Environment and Health.
To develop modules
appropriate for taught elements of PhD programmes.
4. Rationale for a Centre for Health From Environment
The physical, social and cultural environment is among the most important of factors
impacting on human health. Much of the gain in life expectancy over the past 100 years
in Ireland, Europe and the world reflects improvements in stewardship of the physical
environment (sanitary disposal of waste, provision of potable water, management of
urban air pollution, improved housing road design) and social environment (reduction of
poverty, inequality and discrimination) that reflect changes in political, social and
economic conditions. Many contemporary health challenges can likewise be addressed
through further improvements in management of the environment at national, European
and global level. Nationally the ban on indoor smoking of tobacco introduced in March
2004 represents an outstanding example of how public policy and effective public
engagement can improve the environment in ways that contribute to improvement in
well being and disease prevention.
Government policy over more that 20 years to
control the marketing and sale of bituminous coal in urban areas is an another important
example.
At European Union level directives relating to drinking water, urban
wastewater treatment and bathing water represent important measures to enhance health
through environmental stewardship. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete
the Ozone Layer confirms that at a global level it is possible to achieve consensus to
protect health through environmental stewardship.
However at national, European Union and global levels the challenges that remain are
formidable.
The World Health Organization highlights “environmental hazards to human
health include climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, changes in ecosystems due to loss of
biodiversity, changes in hydrological systems and the supplies of freshwater, land degradation,
10
urbanization, and stresses on food-producing systems”. At national and European level we must
address environmental stewardship challenges including air quality, water quality, the
built and social environment, transport and energy policy, land use and food supply. An
environmental perspective is also essential with respect to public policies on diet, alcohol
consumption, tobacco control, and spread of infectious disease, physical activity, social
engagement and access to meaningful employment.
At all levels environmental stewardship for health is both dependent on greater social
equity and a means to achieve greater equity in health and wellbing. Poverty is both a
cause and consequence of poor health, environmental degradation and failure of
environmental stewardship.
The scale and complexity of the issues and the influence of powerful vested interests
demands impartial and deep interdisciplinary study of the kind that an academic Centre
in a higher education institute is best placed to lead.
5. Organisation, Management & Research Themes
Initial Membership and Scale
The CHFE initially comprises more than 20 permanent academic members from 5
schools.
The membership includes a number of staff members who are recently
appointed and actively building their research programmes. The CHFE will have a close
working relationship with the Geographical Information Centre (Director Dr.
Chaosheng Zhang), as the application of spatial analysis is an important tool for studying
the relationship between environment and health.
The CHFE is organized to comprise 4 thematic interest groups, each containing 6-8
academic staff and incorporating both well-established and emerging areas within NUI
Galway and partner institutes. Climate change is seen as an overarching issue that
impacts on all thematic areas. The 4 groups will feed into the CHFE Integration &
Management group, consisting of the Director and representatives from each of the
thematic interest groups.
11
The specification of a work programme is not appropriate in the context of this
proposal, since work programmes are linked to specific funding contracts and,
furthermore, the interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary opportunities across the life cycle
require a flexible mode to grow emerging areas into established areas.
Nevertheless, the activities of the CHFE can be summarized under the following
thematic headings:
1. Air Quality and Health
Theme Leaders: Marie Coggins/ Miriam Byrne
Air quality is considered to be an important determinant of human health. In the
developed world, people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, and thus the European
Commission and by the World Health Organisation have prioritized indoor air quality as
an area requiring further research. Exposure to indoor air pollutants has been linked to
the development or exacerbation of chronic respiratory illnesses such as asthma, allergies
and COPD, and cardiovascular disease. Microorganisms (and their cellular components)
in the air are an integral element of indoor air quality that may contribute to development
of acute respiratory infection in addition to chronic lung disease.
The prevalence of
many chronic respiratory diseases has increased in Western Europe the past few decades
(THADE, 2004). In accurately estimating an individual or population exposure to air
pollution, it is important to take account of the composition of inhaled air during time
spent outdoors, the generation of air pollution indoors (e.g. through smoking, fuel
burning, etc), and the process of infiltration into buildings of air pollution of outdoor
origin. In recent years there has been much emphasis on improving the energy
performance of Irish homes and workplaces; although lower building air exchange rates
are more energy efficient, there is the question of whether or not reduced air infiltration
into a building could result in poor indoor air quality.
2. Water quality, sanitation and health
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Theme Leader: Martin Cormican
The flow of water into, through and out of our bodies is indispensable to life. As it
flows it can carry along with it chemicals and organisms that have a profound impact,
both positive and negative on our health. Much of the health gain of human populations
in the twentieth century was achieved by improved management of sanitation and water
supply. Ireland has a relatively abundant supply of fresh water and standards of sanitation
and access to potable water are generally good however there is room for improvement
both in terms of protection of water sources from contamination and in ensuring safe
drinking water for all, particularly in rural areas. Worldwide “2.5 billion people remain
without improved sanitation facilities, 900 million people still rely on unimproved
drinking-water supplies” and that “diarrhoeal disease is the third leading cause of death
from infectious diseases”. NUI Galway has attracted significant funding for research in
the area of water quality and health and has significant capacity to continue to contribute
to this area in the future.
3. Health from Environment and Public Policy
Theme Leader: Kevin Leyden
Informing and shaping public policy on environment and health is a critical interface in
linking knowledge with action to improve health.
Physical activity, community
engagement, work-life balance and diet are critical determinants of health that are
influenced by public policy in the areas of planning, transportation, and food safety and
supply.
With an increasingly urban population, research on the influence of urban
design (walkability, open spaces, time-space management) on community formation and
wellbeing are key areas that NUI Galway is well placed to contribute to.
4. Soil, Land, Food and Health
Theme Leader: Chaosheng Zhang
Soils are non-renewable resources that provide services essential to our daily life
including food production. However, soils are in danger of degradation such as erosion,
loss of organic matter, salinisation, landslide, and contamination that have negative
effects on human health. It was estimated that there are about 3 million potentially
13
contaminated sites in Europe that remain to be investigated (EEA, 2010). The number in
Ireland is around 1800-2300 (EPA, 2008). Chemical and microbial contaminants in soils
are not only transferred to human bodies via pathways of direct dermal contact and
inhalation, but also through the food chain. A specific concern in Ireland in recent years
has been land-spreading of agricultural and municipal biosolids on land, which has been
the subject of a report from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. This practice has the
potential when well managed to improve soil productivity but if poorly managed may
lead to dissemination of biological and chemical contaminants. Food can also be
contaminated via human input such as the recent melamine contamination of Irish pork
and dioxin contamination of German chicken. The effects and processes of soil
degradation and food quality on human health need to be better understood to provide
scientific evidence for soil remediation and food quality control, as well as development
and implementation of relevant environmental policies.
Overarching Issues:
Climate and Health
Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time. Climate changes impacts on
all four of the major thematic areas identified for the CHFE and is seen as an
overarching issue rather than as discrete research theme at least in the initial period of the
establishment of the Centre.
Developing Capacity for Health Impact Assessment
Health Impact Assessment is conceived of as tool for evaluation of the interaction
between environment and health and in this regard is an overarching issues that is
relevant to all research themes. The CHFE plans to develop capacity for formal HIA.
There is at present limited capacity in this area within Ireland and the development of
expertise in this method will contribute to the sustainability of the CHFE.
Environmental Exposure Assessment.
Exposure is generally defined as “contact at a body boundary between a person and an
environmental stressor (biological, chemical or physical) over time. “
The consequence
of exposure for health is critically dependent on the intensity of exposure (dose, duration,
14
frequency and body boundary). Exposure assessment is a multidisciplinary activity that
requires collaboration between a number of disciplines within NUI Galway and in
partner institutions. The Centre for Health from Environment will provide a forum to
bring expertise from these disciplines together to enhance capacity in this area.
Geographical Information Systems Applications for Health from Environment
As with HIA, Geographical Information Systems are increasingly important to the study
and representation of many aspects of the relationship between health and environment.
A close working relationship between the CHFE and the Centre of GIS is therefore an
important element of the Centre’s capacity to deliver on its academic agenda.
Management Structures for the Centre for Health From Environment
The CHFE is managed by a Director, supported by a Management Board. The Board
comprises the theme leaders. A postgraduate and an undergraduate student studying in
related areas will be invited to join the Management Board. The Director of the Ryan
Institute will be a member of the Management Board.
The Director will be nominated by a Management Board and agreed with the Director or
the Ryan Institute.
Interim Director (1stTerm)
Thematic PRA Leader for Health and Environment, Ryan Institute, NUI Galway.
Martin Cormican (School of Medicine)
Management Board
Sarah Knight (Education and Outreach, Ryan Institute)
Diarmuid O’Donovan (School of Health Sciences)
Mirriam Byrne (School of Physics)
Marie Coggins (School of Physics)
Chaosheng Zhang (Director of the Geographical Information System Centre)
Kevin Leyden (Centre for Innovation and Structural Change)
Director of the Ryan Institute (Colin Brown)
Martina Prendergast, (Development Officer, Ryan Institute)
The role of the Management Board will be in policy development, collation and
representation of the views of the research groups, preparation of large scale funding
15
proposals and promotion of the centre within their professional and collaborative
networks. The key role of outreach and profile development is recognized by the
inclusion of the Ryan Institute Education and Outreach Officer, Dr. Sarah Knight, on
the steering committee.
The Management Board will meet on a bi-monthly basis and more frequently in response
to needs.
External Advisory Board
Strategic direction will be provided to CHFE via an external Advisory Board comprised
of national and international experts in the relevant thematic areas. The Advisory Board
will be established within 12 months of establishing the Centre. The Advisory Board will
meet with the Management Board annually.
6. Development Plans
Academic Collaborations
It is intended to develop new and existing collaborations on the island of Ireland with
partner institutes and also with leading International Research Institutes and Universities.
In particular the possibility of reconstituting the CHFE as a joint centre with the
University of Limerick will be explored based on informal indications that there may be
considerable interest in this area among academic staff in UL. CHFE researchers have an
excellent track record of securing funding to promote and sustain such collaborations.
Engagement of the CHFE with national and international partners and policy makers
will play a central role in ensuring that the Centre is at the forefront of developments in
understanding of the inter-relationships between environment and health.
Health Service and Industrial Collaboration
The CHFE will facilitate sustainable health and sustainable health care through
collaboration with health service delivery agencies and industrial partners.
Members of
the CHFE have existing relationships in particular with Environmental Health Officers,
and other HSE partners.
Informal contacts with Public Health Institutes and other
agencies has confirmed broad support for the establishment of this centre and the
establishment of more formal links will be pursued in the first 12 months after
16
establishment of the Centre.
Expansion
As outlined the Centre for Health From Environment is intended to expand through
engagement of additional academic staff within NUI Galway and the development of
partnerships with other institutes of higher education and in particular the establishment
of the Centre on a joint basis with UL will be explored reflecting the growing
collaboration between NUI Galway and University of Limerick.
Infrastructure
The Centre is an integral part of the Ryan Institute and has access to the facilities and
support staff of the Ryan Institute as agreed by the Director of the Ryan Institute.
The Bioaerosol facility, (Room 202 in the School of Physics) of the Ryan Institute was
established with PRTLI IV funding and will be managed for the Ryan Institute by the
CHFE. As the Centre is a virtual centre much of the infrastructure relevant to its
operation will be based in the Schools to which the members of the Centre belong.
7. Intended outcomes
•
A Centre of learning, research and advocacy with a consolidated knowledge base,
which will contribute to and address new directions in research and policy
development and will be ideally positioned to respond to the strategic needs of
the University (both research and education) and of the country.
•
Efficient uptake and implementation of current, and future, research investments
to ensure the highest quality return and research deliverables in terms of basic
advancement of knowledge and increased PhD output.
•
The Centre for Health From Environment with a local and global perspective
and a focus on community engagement may represent an appealing focus for
philanthropic funding and public support given the current interests in
environmental issues.
•
Sustainable knowledge-generation and transfer, resulting in increased health
17
service
and
industry-academic
partnerships,
engagement
with
regional
development goals and public awareness.
•
Increased visibility, profile and stature of academic activity in this field will result
in sustainability of the Centre.
•
Broadly increase the appeal of undergraduate courses in sciences, engineering,
health and humanities by providing opportunities for interdisciplinary learning
and involvement in environment and health.
•
Increased success in research income procurement and publication in leading
•
international journals.
Funding and Participation targets:
The Centre for Health From Environment will target supporting its members in securing
€ 1 Million of external funding in it first five years of operation.
The Centre will target participation in a FP7 application within 2 years of establishment.
Publication targets:
The Centre for Health and Environment will target an average of 5 peer-reviewed
publications/conference presentations per year in it first 5 years of operation.
Teaching Targets.
Establishment of a Special Study Option for the Undergraduate Medical Programme
within 1 year.
Establishment of a module for Undergraduate Science students within 2 years.
Design and evaluate the feasibility of a Masters Programme in the field of Environment
and Health within 3 years.
Work with the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching and the Community
Knowledge Initiative to contribute to learning and community engagement.
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8. Strengths and threats
Strengths:
•
The Centre for Health From Environment represents an organic development
based on collaboration between staff that have a track record of working
successfully together.
•
The Centre is an integral part of the Ryan Institute.
•
Those involved in the Centre are personally deeply engaged in the issue of health
from environment.
•
There is no comparable existing centre in an Irish university.
•
Draws on a number of Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences,
Science, Engineering, Social Science
•
Positive response on preliminary discussion on collaboration with other higher
education institutes and other agencies
•
Potential for undergraduate and graduate education
•
Potential for philanthropic support
•
Potential for support for North-South collaboration
•
High profile areas of interest to potential undergraduate students and wider
public
•
Potential to explore collaboration with the Environmental Health Institute to be
established at DIT (PRTLI V)
Threats
•
Difficult external funding environment
•
Competition from Centres in higher education institutes with overlapping areas
of teaching and research
•
Competition from Centres in other higher education institutes that may be
established in the same space
9. Sustainability
The Relationship between Environment and Health is an area of growing interest in
Ireland and Internationally as outlined in this document therefore there is a well-founded
19
expectation that this academic centre has the potential to establish a strong brand in this
field.
There are strong links with the Health Service Executive shrough the College of
Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. It is expected that Senior personnel in the HSE
and other key health and environmental agencies will particicipate on the Advisory
Board. This will ensure the Centre is appraised of emerging areas of interest and
changing policy priorities.
The Environmental Protection Agency in Ireland has identified Environment and Health
as a important research area and has funded significant projects in this area in NUI
Galway.
European research (FP7) funding has consistently included substantial calls in the areas
of environment and health. The following quotation indicates that importance of
health and environment for the remaining years of the FP7 programme
“Protecting citizens from environmental hazards. The core challenge for the remaining period of FP7 is
to provide research support aiming at risk reduction from natural and man-made hazards, including
extreme and sudden large events. This will be achieved by integrating science, innovative technologies and
earth observation systems in order to better manage environmental hazards and to reduce its negative
impacts on human and ecosystem health... interdisciplinary approach, bringing natural and social sciences
closer. In 2012, research will focus on emerging hydro-meteorological extreme events...research will be
conducted to be better prepared in crisis situations (e.g. volcanic ash, large floods) in order to prevent
negative social, economic, environmental and human health effects. Indicative budget range 30-50M€”
10. Evaluation
It is proposed that the CHFE be evaluated as part of the University Quality Review
Programme.
Suggested Evaluation Criteria and Metrics
Research income, publication, post graduate students, service to the national community,
service to the international community, and international profile.
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11. Conclusion
There is a window of opportunity to establish an academic Centre focused on the links
between the environment and human health in Ireland.
The proposed Centre for
Health From Environment offers a strong positive message that we can enjoy better
human health through environmental stewardship.
This is an important counterbalance
to perspectives that emphasize disease from environmental degradation or that may be
perceived as representing environmental concerns as somewhat remote from every day
human concerns in a time of economic and social distress. The Centre fits within the
thematic priorities of the Ryan Institute; it is aligned with the broader strategy of NUI
Galway. The CHFE is aligned to public policy priorities at National, European and
global level. The opportunities for NUI Galway in establishing the first such Centre in
Ireland are significant and the risks are minimal as this is a virtual Centre founded on the
commitment and enthusiasm of those who have come together to establish it with the
administrative, development and technical support of the Ryan Institute.”
21
Appendix 1.
Management Board of the Centre for Health From Environment
Martin Cormican
Interim Director
Diarmuid O’Donovan
Mirriam Byrne
Marie Coggins
Chaosheng Zhang
Kevin Leyden
Sarah Knight
Ryan Institute
Colin Brown
Director of the Ryan Institute
22
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26