Spotlight on Francesca Racioppi

ECTMIH 2023 Keynote Speaker: Dr Francesca Racioppi

Last week we caught up with Dr Francesca Racioppi, Head of the World Health Organization European Centre for Environment and Health

Francesca has more than 30 years of international experience in environment and health policies and science, with a specific interest and expertise in the promotion of “health in all policies” approaches, health impact assessment, One Health, violence and injury prevention, urban health, active mobility policies and interventions and consumer safety.  

In 2018 Francesca was awarded a Honorary Doctorate by the Swedish School of Sport and Health Science in Stockholm, Sweden, for her leading engagement in environmental health and active transport.

Some key takeaways from Francesca:

Why it's important to look at global health and tropical medicine through a planetary health lens

The Covid-19 pandemic underlined the close links between human health and the health of our ecosystem in which we live;  a planetary health lens requires us to move beyond traditional silos to consider issues such as biodiversity, land degradation, climate change and the interaction between the natural environment and the human built environment, in connection with the climate change and pollution.

The main points she will address in her keynote at ECTMIH2023

Francesca will focus on what can be done from a practical perspective, highlighting a landmark meeting of member states earlier this year where ministry representatives reflected on the nexus of nature and biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution, how they are impinging on our health, and what kind of commitment and strategy is required to  reduce the burden of disease related to environmental health.

Here's what she had to say: