Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee – Healthy planet for healthy people: towards a comprehensive One Health approach (own-initiative opinion)
Date: 2025-09-18
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: EU strategy, One Health approach, adaptation to climate change, air quality, animal health, antimicrobial resistance, food security, mental health, soil pollution, water pollution








C_202600016EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/16


16.1.2026






Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee
Healthy planet for healthy people: towards a comprehensive ‘One Health’ approach
(own-initiative opinion)
(C/2026/16)


Rapporteur: 
Nicoletta MERLO

Co-rapporteur: 
Arnaud SCHWARTZ






Advisor


Bonolo MADIBE (for the rapporteur)




Plenary Assembly decision


23.1.2025




Legal basis


Rule 52(2) of the Rules of Procedure




Section responsible


Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment




Adopted in section


25.6.2025




Adopted at plenary session


18.9.2025




Plenary session No


599




Outcome of vote
(for/against/abstentions)


113/0/3




1.   Conclusions and recommendations









1.1.


The One Health (OH) approach saves lives, costs and drives innovation and competitiveness by facilitating multilateral, multilevel and cross-sectoral ways of thinking and collaboration. In today’s world, it has become a necessity; this is why the EESC encourages the EU institutions to develop a comprehensive EU One Health strategy, followed by an action plan, subject to adequate financial resources, that considers a multi-level governance and a multi-stakeholder approach to support Member States with its implementation.












1.2.


In order to truly overcome silos and to ensure horizontal coordination, the EESC recommends strengthening the dedicated DG SANTE directorate responsible for One Health, fostering effective cooperation across all relevant DGs.












1.3.


The EESC stresses the need to integrate the OH approach across all major EU policy frameworks and to mainstream the OH perspective in existing and future EU policy frameworks. In addition, the EESC recommends strengthening collaboration among EU agencies, fostering synergies with international partners and promoting inclusive governance through enhanced social and civil dialogues to ensure broad-based support and alignment with global One Health efforts.












1.4.


The EESC urges the Commission to allocate dedicated financial resources within the next MFF to support One Health implementation, with particular attention to nature-based solutions, prevention, local infrastructure and research.












1.5.


The EESC considers it fundamental to support integrated monitoring of environmental, animal and human health risks, and to fund transdisciplinary research to inform early warning systems, policy development and resilience-building strategies. Strengthening international collaboration is essential for addressing the complex interconnected nature of these risks and to generate the evidence base needed for an effective and coordinated global response.












1.6.


The EESC calls for inclusive mechanisms that involve local actors, policymakers, economic actors, organised civil society, industry, human and veterinary public health, environment authorities, exposed communities and young people at all stages of policy design, implementation and evaluation.












1.7.


The EESC considers it fundamental to promote targeted education and training initiatives for young people, consumers, healthcare professionals, veterinary services, paraprofessionals and public authorities, to strengthen their understanding of the environmental and social determinants of health.












1.8.


The EESC stresses the importance of identifying and addressing the specific challenges faced by agriculture, fisheries, forestry and industry in transitioning towards sustainable, One Health-aligned practices. In addition, it is considered important to address the needs and concerns of the most vulnerable (due to their exposome (1)) and the ways to support them.












1.9.


The EESC believes that the OH Strategy must consider global finance and trade implications, including the introduction of health and environmental mirror clauses in trade agreements to safeguard public health and ensure a level playing field.




2.   Context









2.1.


One Health (OH) is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems. The approach mobilises multiple sectors, disciplines and communities at varying levels of society to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems, while addressing the collective need for clean water, energy and air, safe and nutritious food, taking action on climate change and contributing to sustainable development. Key underlying principles include: equity, inclusiveness and accessibility; socioecological equilibrium; stewardship and humans’ responsibility towards the integrity of ecosystems; transdisciplinary and multisectoral collaboration (2).












2.2.


The health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems are closely linked and interdependent, as all are integral parts of the same natural environment. Human driven disruptions – such as deforestation, pollution and the dispersal of fungi due to climate change – can lead to ecosystem disruption and increase the risk of new human, animal and plant diseases developing and spreading. The triple planetary crisis (climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution), as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, put a spotlight on the need for a global framework for improved surveillance and a more holistic, integrated system that is able to prevent, prepare for and respond to health threats.












2.3.


According to the World Bank, the expected benefit of the One Health approach to the global community was estimated in 2022 to be at least EUR 36.2 billion per year. The estimated annual need for expenditure on prevention is less than 10 % of these benefits (3). Similarly, according to the World Health Organization, since 2003, the world has seen over 15 million human deaths and EUR 3.52 trillion in economic losses due to disease and pandemics (4). Prevention is better than cure, it is the ultimate investment for humanity and competitiveness, and the only way towards the Care Economy we need (5).












2.4.


The right to a healthy environment is vital to the social and economic wellbeing of people in Europe and worldwide (6). Recognising this right through the UN General Assembly’s Resolution 76/300 and EU Parliamentarian Resolution of 7 October 2021 emphasises the need to promote integrated action on human, animal and environmental health as essential pillars for responding to One Health in a globalised world. It is estimated that more than 50 % of global GDP is dependent on nature (7) and some 40 % of jobs globally directly depend on healthy ecosystems (8). The EU’s Environmental Action Programmes increasingly acknowledge a healthy environment as a right. The 8th EU Environmental Action Programmes (8th EAP) (9) explicitly recognises that ‘progressing towards the recognition of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, as laid out in Resolution 48/13 of the United Nations Human Rights Council, is an enabling condition for attaining the priority objectives of the 8th EAP’.












2.5.


In this context, this own-initiative, aims to:






—


develop a civil society strategic and comprehensive vision on One Health in the EU;










—


build a new narrative for people and the planet, enhancing the interconnection between healthy and resilient ecosystems and prosperity;










—


explore concrete examples of connection between the health of people, animals, plants and the environment and identify effective approaches for the development of an OH strategy;










—


follow up to the One Health Conference (10) held in November 2023 and the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) report on OH Governance in the EU (11) in order to contribute to the Commission’s work on the One Health approach, its development and implementation in the EU.








3.   Concrete examples of One Health









3.1.


The OH approach provides a holistic and interdisciplinary strategy that acknowledges the interconnectedness of human, animal, plant and environmental health. By promoting a cross-sectoral approach and encouraging innovative multi-level governance models, it can comprehensively address complex and multifaceted health challenges.












3.2.


The escalating costs of EU inaction on pollution, hazardous chemicals and climate change, already amount to hundreds of billions of euros annually in health and environmental damages and thousands of lives lost, underscoring the urgent need for coherent and ambitious policy responses, with a strong focus on preventive measures and actions.




3.3.   
Zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR)










3.3.1.


Zoonotic diseases, originating from pathogens transmitted between animals and humans, account for over 75 % of emerging infectious human diseases (12). Their emergence is driven by anthropogenic activities such as urbanisation, deforestation, globalisation, and increased human-animal interactions, alongside environmental and biological factors. Climate change and biodiversity loss, accelerated by human activities, further exacerbate the spread of zoonoses by altering ecosystems, increasing human-wildlife contact and expanding the range of pathogen-carrying vectors. Enhanced integration of surveillance systems, supported by EU platforms such as the European Climate and Health Observatory, in addition to integrated vector-animal-public health surveillance systems, are critical for early detection, monitoring and response to potential health threats. Moreover, joint risk assessment and decision on control measures in all sectors are fundamental to prevent and limit the impact of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases on human health. Ecosystems like forests, restored or protected areas and urban farms, play a crucial role in mitigating these risks by promoting biodiversity and ecosystem balance, reducing the likelihood of disease transmission between animals and humans, and by raising awareness of sustainable agricultural and health practices.












3.3.2.


Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health threat, driven by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in humans, animals and agriculture, leading to drug-resistant pathogens that already cause over a million deaths annually. The spread of AMR threatens food safety, reduces farm productivity, and jeopardises medical treatments, while also spreading through contaminated food, farm environments and water sources. If unchecked, AMR could lead to severe health and economic consequences, declining trade, increased healthcare costs and worsening global health disparities, with deaths projected to reach 10 million annually by 2050 (13). Addressing AMR not only ensures that Member States deliver on the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents used to treat infectious diseases, but also protects all vulnerable groups with limited proximity to healthcare services.




3.4.   
Air, water and soil pollution










3.4.1.


Air pollution is the leading environmental health risk in Europe, causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer and premature deaths, with around 250 000 premature deaths annually attributable to pollutants like PM2.5, NO2, and O3 (14). While efforts have reduced air pollution-related health effects, further action is needed to meet the EU’s zero pollution targets, as illustrated in the second Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook (15), and prevent health issues such as asthma, strokes and potential links to dementia. Beyond human health, air pollution degrades ecosystems by causing acidification, eutrophication, and ozone damage, threatening biodiversity, reducing crop yields, and weakening essential ecosystem services. Noise pollution also results in at least 18 million people being highly stressed and 5 million being highly sleep disturbed by long-term exposure to noise (16).












3.4.2.


Pollution and climate change are increasing the spread of waterborne and foodborne diseases by altering rainfall patterns, warming temperatures and intensifying water contamination. Climate change worsens water stress by reducing availability and quality through droughts, rising temperatures and extreme rainfall, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities and hindering hygiene and sanitation. In addition, heavy rainfall and poor sewer systems contribute to outbreaks of diseases like cholera, Escherichia Coli, Hepatitis A and Vibrio infections, as contaminated water infiltrates drinking supplies and irrigation systems. Additionally, foodborne illnesses linked to contaminated fresh produce, such as Norovirus and Salmonella, pose serious public health risks, emphasising the need for improved water treatment, hygiene, and food safety measures.












3.4.3.


Soil is essential for all terrestrial ecosystems and their biodiversity. An active and healthy biological soil ecosystem with a diversity of soil animals and microbes is needed to make sufficient nutrients available, and to decompose, filter and/or immobilise pollutants. Pollutants can enter soil through various pathways, and can: affect soil-dwelling organisms, reducing plant species diversity; contaminate the food chain, drinking and irrigation water; be spread through flooding, surface run-off and water and wind erosion (17). Healthy plants help maintain healthy soil ecosystems. They contribute to soil fertility and prevent erosion. Conversely, unhealthy plants can lead to soil degradation – a problem with cascading consequences for agricultural productivity and overall environmental well-being.












3.4.4.


Efforts to achieve the EU’s zero pollution targets by 2030 are crucial to protect health and the environment. Achieving the ambitious targets set forth in the Zero Pollution Action Plan (18) will require sustained efforts firmly based on the One Health approach that acknowledges the interconnectedness of human, animal, plant and environmental health.




3.5.   
Climate change










3.5.1.


Rising temperatures and extreme heat and humidity caused by climate change poses severe health risks, including heat stroke, dehydration, and the exacerbation of cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological conditions (19). Heatwaves further strain healthcare systems, leading to surges in emergency room visits and worsening chronic illnesses as well as impacting cognitive function and productivity. Extreme heat during pregnancy linked to increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth. Heat stress can additionally affect maternal cardiovascular function, dehydration and placenta blood flow, potentially disrupting foetal development (20). Wildfires, on the other hand, further increase health and safety risks of people and animals, especially those living in extremely hot environments. Preparedness must also include stronger coordination between health systems and climate adaptation, particularly in vulnerable regions and cross-border areas.












3.5.2.


Climate change significantly influences vector-borne diseases by altering temperature patterns, expanding habitats, and intensifying the water cycle. Rising temperatures extend transmission seasons and geographic ranges for vectors like Aedes aegypti, increasing the spread of diseases such as dengue and Zika. Rainfall creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes, while droughts can also contribute to outbreaks by prompting water storage in containers, which become mosquito habitats. These climatic shifts, combined with socioeconomic factors, highlight the urgent need for adaptive public health measures to mitigate the risks of vector-borne diseases.












3.5.3.


Leveraging instruments such as the NDICI-Global Europe and Team Europe Initiatives to invest in health systems strengthening and vaccine research and development targeted at both animal and human health, would enable the EU to address shared health threats at their source, promoting solutions that align health investments with broader development goals. Through the EU’s Global Health Strategy and Global Gateway, the EU can promote integrated cross-border health responses that improve human and animal health while reinforcing global health security for both partner countries and EU Member States.




3.6.   
Food security and food safety










3.6.1.


Climate change, driven by rising greenhouse gas emissions, is causing heat stress on crops, reducing yields and impairing plant growth due to increased ground-level ozone. Extreme weather events like droughts and floods further threaten agriculture, with droughts alone responsible for 65 % of global crop losses, leading to EUR 11.45 billion in annual agricultural production losses (21). These disruptions increase food prices, lower nutritional quality, and contribute to health issues like obesity, while exacerbating global health inequalities (22).












3.6.2.


Food safety and security is increasingly threatened by environmental pollution, extreme weather, pesticides, contaminated crops and food packaging, which can introduce microbiological hazards and harmful chemicals into the food supply chain. Chemical substances such as BPA, phthalates, PFAS and other food contact chemicals (FCCs), risk migrating from packaging materials, posing serious health risks, including endocrine disruption, reduced fertility and potential carcinogenic effects. Despite regulatory efforts like the proposed EU ban on BPA, thousands of FCCs remain in use, raising concerns about their long-term impact on human health and food quality. Consumer education will be critical for empowering people to make healthier and more sustainable food choices. At the same time, it is fundamental to maintain regulatory coherence, thus avoiding unwanted consequences such as interruptions of stock and availability of food packaging material, which could undermine food security.












3.6.3.


Continuing to address and minimise these risks is critical for safeguarding global food systems and public health. Despite recent improvements and the important efforts made by farmers and fishers to carry out more sustainable practices, more support is needed to fully implement such practices, and the objectives of EU environmental legislations. Establishing integrated EU policies that link agriculture and health could promote sustainable farming practices that reduce antimicrobial use, pesticide exposure and zoonotic disease risks, directly benefiting human health (23). By aligning agricultural policy with public health goals, the EU would strengthen the One Health agenda, fostering resilient food systems and healthier populations.




3.7.   
Mental health outcomes










3.7.1.


The mental health impacts of climate change, air pollution and insufficient access to green spaces is estimated to reach over EUR 41.41 billion per year by 2030, increasing to over EUR 473.17 billion per year by 2050 (24). For young Europeans, this demonstrates a need for greater investment in urban planning that prioritises access to nature to offer a preventative approach that promotes well-being (e.g. by providing environments for social interaction, exercise and relaxation) and reduces the adverse impacts of extreme heat.












3.7.2.


Climate change, particularly extreme heat and natural disasters, also exacerbate mental health issues, increasing mortality risks and hospital admissions, especially for individuals with pre-existing mental health disorders. High temperatures are linked to higher suicide rates, especially violent suicides, highlighting the need for suicide prevention strategies and adaptation measures (25). As extreme heat events are projected to increase, public health systems must integrate mental health considerations into weather alert systems to mitigate these risks.












3.7.3.


The growing disconnection of humans from nature, coupled with increased time spent on screens, is also having a detrimental impact on mental health. Prolonged exposure to digital devices often leads to feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression, as individuals miss out on the calming and restorative benefits of spending time outdoors. This shift away from nature-based experiences reduces opportunities for physical activity and emotional well-being, exacerbating mental health challenges in today’s fast-paced, screen-driven world.




4.   Vision for an EU One Health strategy









4.1.


The EESC supports the recommendations from the conference held in Luxembourg in 2023 to develop and apply the One Health approach (26) and welcomes the creation of a cross-agency One Health task force at EU level. To break down all the silos, the EESC suggest further strengthening DG SANTE directorate dedicated to One Health in its horizontal scope, and considers it fundamental that all DGs (27) dealing with this issue cooperate closely in a coordinated manner.












4.2.


In addition, the EESC stresses the need for integrating a One Health approach across EU policies, but particularly in current overarching EU policies including the Clean Industrial Deal, the upcoming chemicals industry package and the Vision for Agriculture and Food.












4.3.


The EESC recommends that the EU develop more robust public health policies that take full account of the impacts and risks of the triple planetary crisis. This includes expanding transdisciplinary research and monitoring climate-, environment- and pollution-related health indicators, improving systems for early warning and response to emergencies, and investing in resilient health infrastructure. In addition, it is essential to adopt a fair approach to climate and environmental policy that protects those most vulnerable. The European Climate and Health Observatory should be further mobilised to support national-level decision-making and strengthen links between public health and climate adaptation and resilience. Its activities should be coordinated with core EU actors such as technical agencies to guide its actions in the respective sectors of plant, environmental, animal and public health. Such an approach will require coordination between different sectors and disciplines and will have major shared benefits in areas such as food safety and security, water and sanitation, healthy diets, climate change adaptation and mitigation, environmental protection, prevention of infectious and non-communicable diseases, occupational and mental health (28).












4.4.


The EESC recognises the fact that to overcome the limitations of fragmented, sector-specific approaches, there is an urgent need for a transdisciplinary paradigm that fosters a shared conceptual framework and encourages innovative governance models. Such a framework must include the social dimensions and emphasise inclusive international collaboration and cooperation, extending beyond a human-centric focus to integrate the environmental dimension holistically (29).












4.5.


At UN level, through the combined energies of the Quadripartite Organizations (FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH), a comprehensive One Health Joint Plan of Action (30) has been developed and released in 2022 and a ‘A guide to implementing the One Health Joint Plan of Action at national level’ (31) was published in 2023. Both were supported and advised by the One Health High-Level Expert Panel. Similarly, the EESC calls on the EU institutions to develop cross-sectoral and interinstitutional cooperation among different services. While the European Climate and Health Observatory works in partnership with different European and international organisations to provide access to relevant scientific information and tools, political coordination between all the stakeholders needs to be improved.












4.6.


The EESC also states that the development and effective implementation of the One Health approach will require inclusive collaboration beyond academia, involving local actors, policymakers, economic actors, organised civil society, industry, human and veterinary public health, as well as environment authorities and affected communities, including indigenous people and young people, at every stage of the decision-making process to ensure context-specific, equitable solutions. Despite One Health’s promise, greater inclusivity and scope are needed to tackle global health and environmental challenges.












4.7.


Vulnerable groups — particularly children and young people, women, and the elderly — are disproportionately affected by the impacts of the triple planetary crisis. To ensure a just and effective response, it is essential to invest in education and awareness-raising, not only for young people but also for consumers of all ages, to foster healthier, more sustainable choices. At the same time, the role of women must be actively supported and strengthened within the One Health approach, recognising their critical contributions to health, food systems, caregiving and community resilience, while ensuring gender equality. In addition to this, the EESC encourages public health administrators to educate health workforces to raise awareness about the links between environmental deterioration, climate change and health outcomes to help them integrate ecosystem considerations into everyday health assessments and interventions.












4.8.


The EESC calls upon the EU Institutions to integrate complementary frameworks like Planetary Health (32) or ‘Health in All Policies’, which emphasises environmental and social determinants, with One Health’s focus on animal health and zoonotic diseases, to foster transdisciplinary cooperation for a comprehensive global EU One Health strategy.












4.9.


The EESC asks the EU Institutions to co-elaborate such a strategy and, in a second step, its action plan needed to implement it in the Members States with a multi-level and multi-stakeholder’s perspective, within an inclusive and transparent governance framework allowing proper civil dialogue. The EESC underlines, in this regard, that identifying, in cooperation with social partners, the needs and concerns of the different sectors (including industry, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, etc.) and the ways to support them, will be key.












4.10.


The EESC also draws the attention of the EU Institutions to the fact that the implementation of an EU One Health strategy, through a dedicated action plan must obligatorily consider global finance and trade issues, creating a fair level playing field for the EU population and economy.












4.11.


The increasingly permanent interplay of extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, freshwater cycle disruption, sea level rise and geopolitical tensions is expected to generate new forms of instability within and between Member States and globally. This requires EU institutions to proactively integrate the interconnectedness of environmental, public health and societal security challenges into decision-making processes, fostering coordinated, multi-sectoral action that spans internal cohesion, external relations and security (33).












4.12.


The EESC believes that stronger political support for nature protection and restoration — as a preventative pillar of the OH approach — must be matched by adequate financing in the next EU MFF to address the triple crises and give a real and concrete application to the OH approach.






Brussels, 18 September 2025.


The President


of the European Economic and Social Committee

Oliver RÖPKE
               





(1)  The exposome is a concept used to describe environmental exposures of an individual in a lifetime and how they relate to health and disease, ScienceDirect.

(2)  
            The One Health Definition and Principles, OHHLEP.

(3)  
            One Health Approach Can Prevent the Next Pandemic, World Bank.

(4)  
            One Health, WHO.

(5)  
            The Care Economy, Tim Jackson.

(6)  
            OJ C, C/2024/6880, 28.11.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/6880/oj and 
OJ C 228, 29.6.2023, p. 10.

(7)  
            Study for a methodological framework and assessment of potential financial risks associated with biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, European Commission.

(8)  
            World Employment and Social Outlook 2018, ILO.

(9)  
            EU Environment Action Programme to 2030.

(10)  
            One Health Conference, European Commission.

(11)  
            One Health governance in the European Union, SAM.

(12)  An Overview of Anthropogenic Actions as Drivers for Emerging and Re-Emerging Zoonotic Diseases, Tazerji et al., 2022.

(13)  
            Antimicrobial resistance, WHO.

(14)  
            Harm to human health from air pollution in Europe, EEA.

(15)  
            Zero pollution monitoring and outlook 2025, EEA.

(16)  
            Noise, EEA.

(17)  
            Soil pollution and ecosystems, EEA.

(18)  
            EU Action Plan: ‘Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil’.

(19)  Hot weather and heat extremes: health risks, Ebi et al., 2021.

(20)  Associations between high temperatures in pregnancy and risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirths: systematic review and meta-analysis, Chersich et al., 2020.

(21)  Post Disaster Needs Assessment surveys (PDNAs) 2023, FAO.

(22)  
            
OJ C 349, 29.9.2023, p. 108 and 
OJ C 190, 5.6.2019, p. 9.

(23)  
            OJ C, C/2025/4207, 20.8.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/4207/oj.

(24)  
            Global Research and Action Agenda for Climate Change and Mental Health, Connecting Climate Minds.

(25)  Associations between high ambient temperatures and heat waves with mental health outcomes: a systematic review, Thompson et al., 2018.

(26)  
            OJ C, C/2023/883, 8.12.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2023/883/oj.

(27)  DG SANTE, DG AGRI, DG ENV, DG CLIMA, DG TRADE (in particular with reference to negotiations on free trade agreements, so that these include safeguard and environmental protection clauses and reciprocity of production standards), DG RESEARCH.

(28)  
            OJ C, C/2023/883, 8.12.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2023/883/oj.

(29)  One health: a structured review and commentary on trends and themes, Brown et al., 2024.

(30)  
            One Health Joint Plan of Action, 2022–2026, FAO, UNEP, WHO & WOAH.

(31)  
            A guide to implementing the One Health Joint Plan of Action at national level, FAO, UNEP, WHO & WOAH.

(32)  One Health and planetary health research: leveraging differences to grow together, De Castañeda et al., 2023.

(33)  
            OJ C, C/2024/2106, 26.3.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/2106/oj.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/16/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)