Dear colleagues,

Thank you all for being part of and contributing to the EUPHA Environment and Health Section throughout 2025. Your engagement and ideas have made a real difference in advancing the dialogue on environment and health.

Warmest wishes for a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year!

Environment and Health Section meeting in January

Join us for the EUPHA-ENV Section Meeting on Friday, 23 January 2026 · 12:00 – 13:00

Video call link: https://uiowa.zoom.us/meeting/register/5_4C2n6aQWOtrJCeEQ9dEA

This informal lunch meeting will include:

• Announcement of the new Presidency Team
• Introduction of the Steering Committee
• Discussion of exciting plans for the future

We invite you to bring new ideas or proposals for collaboration—your input shapes our work!

Engage with us on LinkedIn

We are excited to announce the launch of our EUPHA Environment and Health Section LinkedIn page! This new platform creates dynamic opportunities for our community to connect, share expertise, and amplify our collective voice on critical environmental and health issues.

Why follow us on LinkedIn?

• Stay informed about the latest policy developments, research findings, and section activities
• Share your work and insights with an engaged community of environment and health professionals across Europe
• Network and collaborate with colleagues working at the intersection of health, climate, and environment
• Amplify important messages on Planetary Health, One Health, EcoHealth, and Health in All Policies
• Engage in real-time discussions on emerging environmental health challenges and solutions

We encourage all members to follow our page, engage with our content and tag us in their work, and contribute by sharing relevant news, research, and perspectives from your work. Together, we can build a vibrant online community that complements our in-person collaborations and extends our reach to new audiences interested in the health-environment nexus.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/eupha-environment-and-health/

Environmental health from a policy lens

COP 30

From 10 to 21 November, COP 30 brought together policymakers and key stakeholders to further discussions. COP30 concluded with parties agreeing to triple finance for climate adaptation to an annual $120 billion. Additionally, the summit saw the launch of the Belém Action Mechanism (BAM) for a Global Just Transition, with attention to social dimensions such as labour, human, and environmental rights. However, parties failed to commit to a phase-out of fossil fuels, revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are missing from many countries, and little progress was achieved on carbon markets. More information here

Clean Air Forum

On 1 and 2 December, stakeholders convened for the fifth Clean Air Forum. This year, an important topic was the evaluation of the National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive (NECD), a crucial piece of legislation requiring Member States to reduce emissions of the 5 main air pollutants by 2030. This evaluation showed that implementation remains an issue, with several Member States struggling to meet their commitments. Moreover, the NECD commitments are outlined for 2030 onwards, meaning that without revision of this directive, there will be no further obligations beyond 2030 to continue emission reductions. 

EU Environmental Omnibus Package: Simplification or Deregulation?

On 10 December 2025, the European Commission unveiled its eighth Environmental Omnibus package, proposing measures to simplify environmental legislation while claiming to maintain environmental standards. The package targets industrial emissions, circular economy, environmental assessments, and waste management, with estimated savings of €1 billion annually for businesses.​

However, the package represents a dangerous dismantling of decades of environmental protection and a key concerns include:​

• Industrial Emissions Directive: More time for environmental management systems (EMS) preparation and elimination of independent EMS audits, potentially increasing industrial and chemical pollution​
• SCIP database removal: Elimination of the database tracking hazardous substances in products, compromising circular economy goals​
• Water Framework Directive review: Announced weakening of water protections at a time when freshwater ecosystems are in critical condition​
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Suspension of requirements for companies to appoint authorized representatives in every member state for batteries, packaging, electronics, and single-use plastics​

EU consultations:

Open:

European climate resilience and risk management – integrated framework

Feedback period: 1 December – 23 February 

Upcoming:

Simplification of administrative burdens in environmental legislation

We look forward to continuing our collaborative work in 2026 and welcoming you to our January meeting. As the environmental and health challenges intensify, our collective expertise and commitment remain more essential than ever.

Best regards,
Vlatka Matkovic, president
Ivan Miškulin, vice-president
Alethe de Vaulgrenant, vice-president