International Symposium on Ethics of Environmental Health

The 3rd International Symposium on Ethics of Environmental Health was held in Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic, on 28-31 August 2016, organized by International Environment Forum member Friedo Zölzer of the University of South Bohemia. More than 20 specialists in medicine, physics, toxicology, epidemiology, environmental science, technology, philosophy, ethics, law and governance from around the world shared multidisciplinary perspectives on the interface between science and ethics in managing the risks that environmental factors present for health.

Environmental health encompasses the assessment and control of those factors external to the human body that can potentially affect health, such as radiation, toxic chemicals and other hazardous agents. The ethical frameworks and underpinnings that drive and also constrain underlying environmental health research and regulations are not always made explicit. The symposium discussed the ethical implications of science and technology for the application of research results in policy and regulations.

Topics of discussion ranged from nuclear accidents and epidemiology to climate change, and from the manipulation of scientific information by multinationals and politicians to community engagement in vector control.

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3rd Symposium on Ethics of Environmental Health; organizer Friedo Zölzer

Three IEF members participated in the symposium. Friedo Zölzer spoke on "The Balance between Chemical and Ionizing Radiation Risks - Ethical Aspects". Arthur Dahl presented a paper on "The 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals: Placing Environmental Health in a Larger Ethical Framework", and Greg Dahl gave the concluding presentation on "Trust, Corruption, and Public Welfare".

One evening the symposium visited Hluboka Castle and had dinner at the Townshend International School.

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Dinner for symposium participants at the Townshend International School

The rich discussion by leading experts concluded with recommendations for future research.