Analysis of Health in Environmental Assessments-A Literature Review and Survey with a Focus on Denmark.

Humboldt-Dachroeden Humboldt-Dachroeden,Fischer-Bonde Fischer-Bonde,Gulis Gulis

doi:10.3390/ijerph16224570

Abstract

In the European Union, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (2014/52/EU) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive (2011/92/EU) emphasise the assessment of population and human health. The directives require health to be considered within Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). To date, health is mainly considered in connection with negative environmental factors and in terms of risk assessments. The integration of health in EIA as well as SEA has not been investigated in a Danish context, and this study aims to address the missing knowledge. There is a need for a more comprehensive health assessment within EIA and SEA to comply with the EIA and SEA directives. An integration of health into EIA and SEA will ensure a sound examination of health determinants which can improve decision making and thus comprehensively promote and protect health. To establish the status of the inclusion of the assessment of impacts on health into EIA and SEA, a literature review was performed. In addition, a survey addressed to researchers and practitioners was conducted and analysed through a comparative analysis. The survey examined the needs of practitioners and researchers, focusing on the Danish context, regarding the inclusion of health into EIA and SEA. Enhanced intersectoral cooperation of the health and environmental sectors, more specific guidance documents, and underlying this, stronger political support, were identified among needs for more comprehensive health assessments.

Highlights

Environmental degradation, the loss of biodiversity and various consequences of climate change are threatening the planet and human health [1]
The integration of health in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as well as Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has not been investigated in a Danish context, and this study aims to address the missing knowledge
See Appendix A (Figure A1) for the literature screening process. These case studies showed a clear inclusion of health or Health Impact Assessment (HIA) into EIA/SEA

Summary

Introduction

Environmental degradation, the loss of biodiversity and various consequences of climate change are threatening the planet and human health [1]. The state of health is changing as shown by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) studies [2]. This data can be used to examine a variety of health determinants. Q28 (Epidemiological significance) To what degree do you associate the significance of a health effect with the following? Q28 (Evidence from research) To what degree do you associate the significance of a health effect with the following? Q28 (Official thresholds) To what degree do you associate the significance of a health effect with the following? Q28 (Professional judgment) To what degree do you associate the significance of a health effect with the following? Introduktion: De to direktiver SEA 2001/42/EC og EIA 2014/52/EU beskriver begge, at planer og programmer (SEA) og projekter (EIA), der har en signifikant effekt på miljøet, skal vurderes i henhold til den pågældende konsekvensvurdering (2,3).

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