Environment, climate change and health (ECH) for practitioners and actors

guiding policy change

Module 4: Environmental noise.

Biodiversity, ecosystems and health.
Safe and healthy food (environmental aspects).
Active and sustainable modes of transport (environmental aspects).

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Course outline

Module 1. Introduction to ECH.

Module 2. Air pollution. Water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH). Climate change.

Module 3. Chemicals. Radiation. Solid waste.

Module 4. Environmental noise. Nature, biodiversity and health. Safe and healthy food
(environmental aspects). Active and sustainable modes of transport (environmental aspects).

Module 5. Priority settings for actions: occupational & workplace health; cities/urban settlements;
health care facilities.

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Module 4 learning objectives

This module addresses the most important exposures, health impacts and actions,
interventions and policies on the following topics:
• Environmental noise
• Nature, biodiversity and health
• Safe and healthy food (environmental aspects only)
• Active and sustainable modes of transport (environmental aspects only).

By the end of this module, you will:

− explain important aspects, sources of exposures and the health risks posed by environmental noise,
nature and biodiversity loss, unsafe and unsustainable food, and unhealthy and unsustainable transport
and mobility;
− describe what type of interventions can be implemented to address these health risks; and
− refer to detailed resources on designing and implementing the interventions.

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Environmental noise

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 Environmental noise – Exposure

Important sources of exposure (examples):

• traffic (road, railway and air)
• industry
• building sites
• leisure activities.

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 Environmental noise – Health impacts

Health impacts from excessive environmental noise (not exhaustive):

• cardiovascular diseases
• sleep disturbance
• hearing impairment
• tinnitus
• cognitive impairment.

About 1 million traffic-related healthy life years were

lost from noise – only in Western Europe and in 2011.
Source: WHO Regional Office for Europe & Joint Research Centre 2011

Over 1 billion young people are at risk of hearing loss

due to unsafe listening practices.
Source: WHO 2015
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 Environmental noise – Actions for health

Selected actions and policies for protecting

against excessive environmental noise:
✓ Reduce motorized road and air traffic flow, shift to
public mass transit
Source intervention
✓ Set regulations for permissible decibel levels in, e.g.,
entertainment venues or communities

✓ Insulate dwellings or construct barriers to shield a

Path intervention noise source
New/closed ✓ Improve the choice of appropriate tyres and road
infrastructure surface
Other physical ✓ Create “quiet sides/spaces” in dwelling or
intervention entertainment venues, create nearby green space

✓ Provide recommendations for reduced noise exposure,

Behaviour change
e.g., for use of earplugs in noisy situations, and for
intervention practice of safe listening
Further guidance on
environmental noise 7
Types of noise interventions according to the WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region action
 Environmental noise - Further resources

✓ Compendium of WHO and other UN guidance on health and environments, section on

environmental noise
✓ WHO 2022: Global standard for safe listening venues & events
✓ WHO Regional Office for Europe 2018: Environmental noise guidelines for the European Region

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Thank you!
Please check the resources.

Photo credits

Shutterstock / Alf Ribeiro slide 5

Shutterstock / adriaticfoto slide 6
Shutterstock / King Ropes Access slide 7