Sustainable Development
How the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health promotes it
Sustainable Development
- how the CIEH promotes it
Geographical Association,
North Staffordshire Branch
Tuesday 8 December 2011
David Kidney, Head of Policy, CIEH
The CIEH - Who we are and
what we do
• A charity
• A professional organisation with over 10,000
members in the public and private sectors
• A knowledge centre for environmental health
• A qualifications and certification body
- Accredits degree courses – professional training
- International provider of accredited industry
qualifications e.g. food hygiene training
Realms of environmental health
Scope of environmental health
Living Environment
Biological
Stressors
Chemical
Stressors
Home
Environment
Work
Environment
Recreational
Environment
Physical
Stressors
Social
Stressors
Psychosocial
Stressors
Contributions of
Environmental
Health
Specialists:
by assessing,
correcting and
preventing
impact of
stressors
Do you believe in the
science of climate change?
Why shouldn’t you accept
the science?
• Known shortcomings
• The Unknowns
• Modelling of scenarios
• Conspiracy theories (UEA – gate)
Is the temperature rising?
Is the change temporary?
• Sunspots
• Volcanoes
Is the cause anthropogenic?
• Is it the industrial revolution
and burning fossil fuels?
• Is it CFCs and similar
compounds?
• Is it livestock – and methane
emissions?
Does it matter what the
cause is?
• It does if there’s a problem and you
want to know how to solve it
• But is there more than one problem
anyway?
Sustainable development
and One Planet
• Where are we in relation to peak oil?
• Have you checked out the world’s
human population lately?
• How shall we behave faced with
shortages of food, water and other
natural resources?
Sustainable systems – the
relationships
The Biosphere
Human Society
The
Economy
Anyone who
believes
exponential growth
can go on forever
in a finite world is
either a madman
or an economist.
Kenneth Boulding, economist
Source: Forum for the Future
Climate change and the
precautionary principle
• Running out of food and water
• Running out of energy
• Climate-related new threats
• Wars fought over resources – and the
impacts of conflict
Action or caution?
Principle 15 Rio Declaration
Where there are threats of serious or
irreversible damage, lack of full scientific
certainty shall not be used as a reason
for postponing cost-effective measures to
prevent environmental degradation
So what actions?
Mitigation
• Global action to cut carbon emissions
Adaptation
• Protection from impacts of change
Fairness
• Poorest/least emitting
• Inter-generational
Climate change impacts vary
All populations are vulnerable - but some
are more vulnerable than others:
• Initial health risks vary
• Coastal regions, mega-cities, mountainous and
polar regions particularly vulnerable
• Health effects more severe for elderly and
people with infirmities
The Stern Review
The world has to act
now on climate
change or face
devastating economic
consequences,
according to this
report compiled by
Sir Nicholas Stern
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol - a Treaty negotiated
December 1997 in the city of Kyoto, Japan
came into force February 2005
International community’s
only legally binding
commitments to cut
emissions – ends 2012
Copenhagen Climate
Conference
• 192 nations gathered in Copenhagen to seek
a deal on fighting global warming, in a series
of meetings 7– 18 December 2009
CIEH activities
• Only some signedand
a deal
effortsthe Obama
administration called "meaningful" but which
fell short of expectations for the summit
• The talks go on – currently in Durban
Environmental health’s role
A warmer and more variable climate:
• Threatens higher levels of some air pollutants
• Increases transmission of diseases through
unclean water and contaminated food
• Compromises agricultural production in less
developed countries
• Increases the hazards of extreme weather
The public health impacts
Each year the basic determinants of health
are already harsh enough:
• 1.2 million people die from causes attributable to
urban air pollution
• 2.2 million from diarrhoea, largely from lack of
access to clean water supply and sanitation, and
from poor hygiene
• 3.5 million from malnutrition
The CIEH’s contribution to
the debate
Two publications in 2008:
• Climate change and its
health impacts
• Climate change, public
health and health
inequalities
And continuing the dialogue
• Conference and working group
• Call for evidence
• Publication of case studies of
environmental health-led initiatives
Our world, our wellbeing
68 case studies from
across England, Northern
Ireland and Wales
Copies sent to Ministers in
Belfast, Cardiff and
Westminster
Where next with this work?
To Rio!
At Rio+20 next summer
Perhaps a new phase of
Local Agenda 21?
Training for new entrants
to the profession
• Graduate entry and we set the
curriculum
• Experiential learning required before
entry – and CPD after
And training for the world
• Level 2 Award in Environmental
Principles and Best Practice
• Certificate in Environmental
Management
• Level 3 Award in Environmental
Management
Training for a more
sustainable future
• A new business model: circular, not
linear
• New-build low carbon, resource efficient
• Energy efficient retro-fit (Green Deal)
• Existing skills, STEM skills, new skills
• We want to help
We also try to practise what
we preach
Our events venue 15Hatfields
An objective standard of
sustainable management
BS8900:
currently a pilot Standard
- and the CIEH first to
attain it
The CIEH works globally
as well as locally
• Members/affiliates in 30 countries
• An International Special Interest Group
• An international portfolio of contracts
for awards, training, expert advice
Water for Kids
• A charity working to bring clean, safe
water supplies to children in developing
countries
• Founded by, and supported by, the CIEH
• Would you like to donate?
London Olympics and Paralympics 2012
A showcase to the world of sustainability:
• Health and safety in construction phase
• Food safety, hygiene, health and nutrition for all
• A legacy of embedded sustainable development
Environmental impact of a global project
EHP today, 2025
April 2025 issue
Contents:
• What Happens When The
Lights Go Out?
• Remembering The Big Flood
• A Day in The Life of Moz
Keyto
• Salmonella on the Rise
• Unions Lobby for Maximum
Working Temperature
Peter Hill
Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council
Where to find CIEH resources
CIEH website: www.cieh.org
Climate change and its health impacts
http://www.cieh.org/policy/climate_ch
ange_health_implications.html
Our world, our wellbeing
http://www.cieh.org/WorkArea/showc
ontent.aspx?id=37708
Thank you for listening
Questions welcome!
Contact details:
David Kidney, Head of Policy, CIEH
Tel. 020 7827 5902
d.kidney@cieh.org
www.cieh.org