Strengthening global EH connections at the European IFEH meeting 2025

I was delighted to represent CIEH at the European meeting of the International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH), alongside Louise Manson from the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS).

The IFEH is where environmental health professionals from across the globe come together to share ideas, expertise, and ambition. Formed in 1986, with its registered office at Chadwick Court, IFEH unites national environmental health (EH) organisations and academic institutions, all working towards a safer, healthier world. We’re proud that CIEH and our colleagues at the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) are part of this global family.

This June, the IFEH European regional meeting took place in Croatia, hosted by the fantastic team at the University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica, led by Professor Sanja Kalambura. It was two packed days of insights, networking, and shared learning with EH professionals from across Europe – Croatia, Estonia, Malta, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Denmark, Portugal, Scotland, and Wales were all represented.

We heard inspiring updates from the Malta Association of EH, who have recently re-joined IFEH and are looking to kickstart international officer exchanges with EU support. We also tackled pressing global issues, including the mountain of textile waste – and how innovative approaches in Croatia are turning old clothes into new opportunities.

A key focus was finalising the IFEH position paper for COP30, which takes place in Brazil next year. I’m pleased to say that paper is now approved and submitted to the United Nations – a great example of how our profession can influence global policy.

Of course, it wasn’t all meetings and presentations. We also immersed ourselves in Croatian culture – learning about traditional wooden house building (very different to UK construction!) and trying our hand at preparing strukli, a delicious local dish. These experiences remind us how environmental health connects to culture, heritage, and everyday life.

Throughout the meeting, we heard from IFEH President Dr Bruno Cvetkovic, past President Susana Paixao, and many others working to advance our profession worldwide. IFEH isn’t just about meetings – it’s about sharing knowledge, building partnerships, and finding new ways to tackle shared challenges like PFAS (also known as ‘forever chemicals’) contamination, which will now be explored through a new working group.

Attending the meeting has reinforced my belief that by collaborating with international colleagues and the exchange of technical and professional expertise we can achieve so much more to improve environmental public health for all our communities, both locally, nationally and globally. This is particularly important as we all face global public health challenges which are not restricted by geographical boundaries, such as climate change, risk management, food security, etc.

Flying the flag for UK Environmental Health

I was proud to update our European colleagues on all the progress CIEH has made, including:

• A modest but welcome membership increase, with over 800 new members joining in 2024
• Growing influence with 15 expressions of support for our campaign to create a new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on EH
• A new Finance Committee to ensure we stay strong and sustainable
• Continued delivery of high-quality training, conferences, and workshops
• A 21% rise in social media engagement – our message is reaching further than ever
• Launch of a digital archive now holding over 100 historic EH documents
• A workforce campaign promoting EH careers, including a targeted UCAS campaign and social media outreach

And the important news! Our new three-year strategy is now in place. We’re focusing on:

• Raising the voice and visibility of EH
• Strengthening the profession and membership
• Building a positive organisation and culture

We’re proud of our networks across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but international partnerships like IFEH are vital too. Public health knows no borders – whether it’s climate change, food security, or emerging risks, global cooperation is essential.

Looking ahead

We’re also refreshing our Professional Standards Framework – to make sure it reflects the modern realities of working in EH. And our policy work continues to influence issues from housing standards and noise pollution to food safety and more, ensuring the vital role of EH is understood at every level.

But let’s be honest – we can’t assume people automatically understand the value of EH. That’s why we’re telling our story differently: explaining how EH means safer homes, cleaner air, healthier communities and safer workplaces. It’s about making the invisible visible – and showing the true impact of our profession on daily life.

World Environmental Health Day – and Dubrovnik awaits!

Every 26 September, World Environmental Health Day reminds us of our shared mission. And next year, the countdown begins for the IFEH World Congress in Dubrovnik, Croatia. It promises to be an exciting global gathering – I hope many of you will be part of it.

Let’s keep working together – locally, nationally, and internationally – to champion EH, support each other, and deliver real public health improvements across the world. The CIEH motto – Amicus Humani Generis (friends of the human race) – let’s keep living up to that, together.