Progress in the WHO European Region towards the SDGs in the context of the Ostrava Declaration on Environment and Health: mid-way to 2030

Overview

This report uses official statistics to assess progress made in implementing the Ostrava Declaration on Health and the Environment in the WHO European Region. The quantitative analyses show that progress is mixed and, in most cases, insufficient, but there are important differences in performance depending on the thematic area and subregion within the Region. Certain dimensions of the Declaration show progress in all Member States; however, in some thematic areas the trends are moving in the wrong direction, and particular attention is needed to reverse the situation. Furthermore, some key dimensions of the Ostrava Declaration cannot be accurately monitored in the WHO European Region due to a lack of timely, internationally comparable data. Looking forward, accelerated actions are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030; it will also be important to strengthen data timeliness and availability to improve the monitoring of the priority areas listed in the Ostrava Declaration and in future declarations.