Global environmental impact on health

Major environmental changes which are occurring worldwide include global warming and a decline in the diversity of species. These are complicated pro-cesses with particular characteristics: they cover a wide area, are insidious, expand in time and space, have numerous causes and impacts and are interdependent. This advisory report from the Health Council of the Netherlands discusses the consequences of global environmental changes for public health in the Netherlands.

Committee

• Professor W.F. Passchier, Emeritus Professor of Risk analysis, Maastricht University, chairman
• Professor J.W. Erisman, Professor of Integrated Nitrogen Issues, VU University, Amsterdam, and Unit Manager of Biomass, Coal & Environmental Research, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, Petten
• P.J. van den Hazel, physician, specialist in environmental medicine, Public Health Service Central Gelderland, Arnhem
• Professor D. Heederik, Professor of Health Risk Analysis, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, University of Utrecht
• Professor R. Leemans, Professor of Environmental Systems Analysis, Wageningen University
• Dr J. Legler, toxicologist, Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University, Amsterdam
• Dr. J.P. van der Sluijs, researcher in Science Technology and Society, Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development and Innovation, University of Utrecht
• Professor D.R.M. Timmermans, Professor of Risk Communication and Patient Decision Making, EMGO Institute, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam
• Dr P.W. van Vliet, Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague, secretary

The Health Council’s secretarial department drew up draft versions of this advisory report which were discussed in Committee meetings. The advisory report was then presented to the Standing Committee on Health and Environment, which is one of the Health Council’s permanent bodies of experts, and to a number of other experts including some in the Health Council. The Committee took the comments into account in the final draft.
The following persons were consulted:

• Dr. H.B.M. Hilderink, demographer, PBL (Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency), Bilthoven
• Dr. M.M.T.E. Huynen, environmental health expert, International Centre for Integrated Assessment and Sustainable Development, Maastricht University
• Professor J.P. Mackenbach, Professor of Public Health, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam
• Professor P. Martens, Professor of Sustainable Development, International Centre for Integrated Assessment and Sustainable Development, Maastricht University
• F. de Pater, M.Sc., water and environment scientist, VU University, Amsterdam
• Professor P. Vellinga, Professor of Climate Change and Flood Safety, Wageningen University, and Professor of Climate Change and Societal Implications, VU University, Amsterdam