Civil society involvement in One Health policy (FR0059)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address? One Health is an approach that takes a systemic view of the health of people, animals and the environment. It aims to take better account of the complex relationships between the environment and biodiversity (and the ecological health of both) that people interact with and the health of people themselves. The aim is to both prevent and better manage pandemics and diseases associated with environmental contaminants, and also to reduce the environmental impacts of public health measures (for example, in vector control, the use of biocidal products or the waste generated from protective equipment). The tangible application of this approach in terms of public policy remains to be developed, and must be done in partnership with civil society and as transparently and collaboratively as possible. It will require better communication and synergy between the stakeholders of all three areas of health, from both government and civil society.

What is the commitment? The Ministry for the Ecological Transition is committing to involve civil society in developing a One Health approach, to be implemented both in-house and at interministerial level, via ongoing dialogue through dedicated forums. Specifically, the Ministry is committing to make as much information as possible available on environmental impacts for health and the integrity of ecosystems, with a special focus on dissemination to the human and animal health spheres. 36 Partners (environmental and veterinary groups, healthcare professionals, patient groups, etc.) will contribute new data and information and help develop systematic communications channels between stakeholders in all three health areas. A specific partnership will be established with the non-profit Humanité et Biodiversité. One aim is to achieve better synergy between stakeholders in all three health areas, with a shared dynamic and improved access to data and information between all stakeholders (via dedicated platforms and permanent forums for discussion). Another aim is to inform and educate citizens about One Health issues in order to enact transformative changes in lifestyle and consumption habits with direct impacts on all three areas of health. Dedicated communications initiatives will be overseen by the General Commission for Sustainable Development and published on its website.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem? Workshops involving civil society will help identify priority areas of focus as well as obstacles, which will contribute to putting together a coherent One Health public policy. This will take place with or within the Groupe Santé Environnement, a discussion body comprising government and civil stakeholders (and an expanded membership with the five categories of representatives from the Grenelle Environment Round Table: the State, local authorities, employees, professionals, environmental groups and experts). Alongside this, specific activities will be conducted to promote discussions: - Deliberations on what a One Health governance structure should look like and what bodies should be made permanent - A One Health working group, created in the autumn of 2021 as part of the French National Health Environment Plan - A shared environmental database for health research – Green Data for Health – created as part of France’s fourth National Health Environment Plan, to encourage better use of existing 37 environmental data and cross-referencing with health data

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values? To date, the One Health approach has been taken up in silos, which limits the involvement of civil society. This commitment creates an opportunity for civil society to influence public policy with vital implications for the health of people, animals and ecosystems. It is therefore a relevant issue for civic participation. It will also allow for greater transparency on the progress of public policy makers in addressing One Health issues.

Additional information This commitment comes out of France’s fourth National Health Environment Plan launched on 7 May 2021, the 2016 interministerial roadmap on antibiotic resistance, the upcoming Infectious and Emerging Disease Acceleration Strategy and Third National Strategy for Biodiversity, and PREZODE, an international initiative launched at the One Planet Summit on 11 January. At the September 2021 World Conservation Congress, the French Office for Biodiversity prepared a One Health communication initiative for the Nature Generation Areas open to the public, and the General Commission for Sustainable Development hosted an evening on the theme of “biosphere health and human health” at the French Pavilion. The commitment will begin in Q4 2021 and run through 2023. Logistical and organisational support has been requested for planning and facilitating workshops (namely by the Interministerial Delegation for Government Transformation). The non-profit Humanité et Biodiversité has expressed interest in supporting the General Commission for Sustainable Development in this partnership as a sponsor.

Action Plan Review

Commitment 9. Working together toward “One Health”

● Verifiable: Yes

● Does it have an open government lens? Yes

● Potential for results: Unclear