You are on page 1of 54

Including Health in Global Frameworks

for Development Wealth and Climate


Change Workshop Summary 1st
Edition Suzanne Landi Et Al.
Visit to download the full and correct content document:
https://textbookfull.com/product/including-health-in-global-frameworks-for-developme
nt-wealth-and-climate-change-workshop-summary-1st-edition-suzanne-landi-et-al/
More products digital (pdf, epub, mobi) instant
download maybe you interests ...

Climate Smart Agriculture : Building Resilience to


Climate Change 1st Edition Leslie Lipper Et Al. (Eds.)

https://textbookfull.com/product/climate-smart-agriculture-
building-resilience-to-climate-change-1st-edition-leslie-lipper-
et-al-eds/

Climate Change and Global Development Market Global


Players and Empirical Evidence Tiago Sequeira

https://textbookfull.com/product/climate-change-and-global-
development-market-global-players-and-empirical-evidence-tiago-
sequeira/

CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2nd Edition


Kent E. Pinkerton

https://textbookfull.com/product/climate-change-and-global-
public-health-2nd-edition-kent-e-pinkerton/

Microbial Ecology in States of Health and Disease


Workshop Summary 1st Edition Eileen R. Choffnes

https://textbookfull.com/product/microbial-ecology-in-states-of-
health-and-disease-workshop-summary-1st-edition-eileen-r-
choffnes/
Public Health Linkages with Sustainability Workshop
Summary Institute Of Medicine

https://textbookfull.com/product/public-health-linkages-with-
sustainability-workshop-summary-institute-of-medicine/

Education, Change and Society 4th Edition Anthony Welch


Et Al.

https://textbookfull.com/product/education-change-and-
society-4th-edition-anthony-welch-et-al/

Climate Change and Public Health 1st Edition Barry Levy

https://textbookfull.com/product/climate-change-and-public-
health-1st-edition-barry-levy/

Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable


Development 1st Edition Juha I. Uitto

https://textbookfull.com/product/evaluating-climate-change-
action-for-sustainable-development-1st-edition-juha-i-uitto/

Mooncakes Suzanne Walker Et El

https://textbookfull.com/product/mooncakes-suzanne-walker-et-el/
Suzanne Landi, Rappo
orteur

Round
dtable on Env
vironmental Health
H Science
es, Research
h, and Medicin
ne

Board on Population He
ealth and Pub
blic Health Prractice
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The workshop that is the subject of this workshop summary was
approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose
members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the
National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.
This activity was supported by contracts between the National Academy of
Sciences and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(HHSN26300013). The views presented in this publication do not necessarily
reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the
activity.
This summary is based on the proceedings of a workshop that was sponsored by
the Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine. It is
prepared in the form of a workshop summary by and in the name of the
rapporteur as an individually authored document.
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-29478-2
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-29478-9
Additional copies of this workshop summary are available from the National
Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001;
(800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.
For more information about the Institute of Medicine, visit the IOM home page
at: www.iom.edu.
Copyright 2014 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
The serpent has been a symbol of long life, healing, and knowledge among
almost all cultures and religions since the beginning of recorded history. The
serpent adopted as a logotype by the Institute of Medicine is a relief carving
from ancient Greece, now held by the Staatliche Museen in Berlin.
Suggested citation: IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2014. Including health in
global frameworks for development, wealth, and climate change: Workshop
summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
The National Acadeemy of Sciencces is a privatte, nonprofit, self-perpetuatiing
society
y of distinguish
hed scholars enngaged in scienntific and enginneering researcch,
dedicatted to the furth
herance of scieence and technnology and to their use for tthe
generall welfare. Upoon the authority
y of the charteer granted to it by the Congreess
in 1863, the Academ my has a man ndate that reqquires it to addvise the fedeeral
governmment on scienttific and techniccal matters. Drr. Ralph J. Ciceerone is presideent
of the National
N Acadeemy of Sciencees.
The National Acadeemy of Engin neering was eestablished in 1964, under tthe
charterr of the Natioonal Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of
outstan
nding engineerss. It is autonomo ous in its adminnistration and iin the selectionn of
its memmbers, sharing with the National Academyy of Sciences tthe responsibillity
for adv
vising the federral governmentt. The Nationall Academy of Engineering allso
sponsors engineering g programs aim med at meetinng national neeeds, encouragges
educatiion and researcch, and recogn nizes the superrior achievemeents of engineeers.
Dr. C. D.
D Mote, Jr., iss president of the
t National Accademy of Enggineering.
The Institute of Med dicine was estaablished in 19770 by the Natioonal Academy of
Sciencees to secure th he services of eminent membbers of approppriate professioons
in the examination
e of policy matterrs pertaining too the health off the public. T
The
Institutte acts under th
he responsibilitty given to the National Acaddemy of Sciencces
by its congressional
c charter
c to be an
n adviser to thee federal goverrnment and, uppon
its ownn initiative, to identify
i issues of medical carre, research, annd education. D
Dr.
Harvey y V. Fineberg is president of thet Institute off Medicine.
The Na ational Resea w organizedd by the Natioonal Academy of
arch Council was
Sciencees in 1916 to associate the broad
b communnity of sciencee and technoloogy
with th
he Academy’s purposes of fu urthering know wledge and advvising the fedeeral
governnment. Function ning in accordance with geneeral policies determined by tthe
Academ my, the Counccil has becomee the principall operating ageency of both tthe
National Academy of o Sciences an nd the Nationaal Academy off Engineering in
providiing services to t the govern nment, the puublic, and thee scientific aand
engineeering communiities. The Coun ncil is administtered jointly byy both Academ
mies
and thee Institute of Medicine.
M Dr. Ralph
R J. Ciceroone and Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., aare
chair an
nd vice chair, respectively,
r of the National Research Counncil.

w
www.nationall-academies.o
org

.
PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE GLOBAL
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT SPRING WEBINAR SERIES1

KRISTIE L. EBI, Independent Consultant, ClimAdapt, LLC, Los Altos,


CA
LUIZ A. GALVÃO, Area Manager, Sustainable Development and
Environmental Health, Pan American Health Organization,
Washington, DC
BERNARD D. GOLDSTEIN, Professor Emeritus, Department of
Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public
Health, University of Pittsburgh, PA
ANDREW HAINES, Professor of Public Health and Primary Care,
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
DEAN JAMISON, Senior Fellow at the Center for Disease Dynamics,
Economics & Policy, Washington, DC
CHRISTOPHER J. L. MURRAY, Director, Institute for Health
Metrics and Evaluation, Professor of Global Health, University of
Washington, Seattle
CARLOS SANTOS-BURGOA, Coordinator of Occupational and
Environmental Risks, Area of Sustainable Development and
Environmental Health, Pan American Health Organization,
Washington, DC
JOHN D. SPENGLER, Professor, Harvard School of Public Health,
Boston, MA

1
Institute of Medicine planning committees are solely responsible for organizing
the workshop, identifying topics, and choosing speakers. The responsibility for
the published workshop summary rests with the workshop rapporteur and the
institution.

v
ROUNDTABLE ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
SCIENCES, RESEARCH, AND MEDICINE1

FRANK LOY (Chair), U.S. Representative to the 66th Session of the


General Assembly of the United Nations, Washington, DC
LYNN R. GOLDMAN (Vice-Chair), Dean, School of Public Health and
Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC
HENRY A. ANDERSON, State Health Officer, Wisconsin Division of
Public Health, Madison
JOHN M. BALBUS, Senior Advisor for Public Health, National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of
Health, Bethesda, MD
JAMES K. BARTRAM, Don and Jennifer Holzworth Distinguished
Professor, Director of the Water Institute, University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
LINDA S. BIRNBAUM, Director, National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle
Park, NC
LUZ CLAUDIO, Associate Professor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine,
New York, NY
DENNIS J. DEVLIN, Senior Environmental Health Advisor,
ExxonMobil Corporation, Irving, TX
RICHARD A. FENSKE, Professor and Associate Chair, School of
Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington,
Seattle
ALISTAIR FRASER, Vice President, Health, Royal Dutch Shell, The
Hague, Netherlands
LUIZ A. GALVÃO, Area Manager, Sustainable Development and
Environmental Health, Pan American Health Organization,
Washington, DC
BERNARD D. GOLDSTEIN, Professor Emeritus, Department of
Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public
Health, University of Pittsburgh, PA

1
Institute of Medicine forums and roundtables do not issue, review, or approve
individual documents. The responsibility for the published workshop summary
rests with the workshop rapporteur and the institution.

vii
RICHARD J. JACKSON, Professor and Chair, Department of
Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health,
University of California, Los Angeles
SUZETTE M. KIMBALL, Deputy Director, U.S. Geological Survey,
U.S. Department of the Interior, Reston, VA
JAY LEMERY, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, President,
Wilderness Medical Society, University of Colorado, Aurora
ANDREW MAGUIRE, Vice President for Environmental Health,
Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, DC
LINDA A. MCCAULEY, Dean and Professor, Nell Hodgson Woodruff
School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
AL MCGARTLAND, Office Director, National Center for
Environmental Economics, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Washington, DC
DAVID M. MICHAELS, Assistant Secretary of Labor, Occupational
Safety and Health Administration, Washington, DC
CANICE NOLAN, Senior Coordinator for Global Health, European
Commission, Brussels, Belgium
MARTIN A. PHILBERT, Dean, School of Public Health, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor
CHRISTOPHER J. PORTIER, Director, National Center for
Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA
PAUL SANDIFER, Senior Science Advisor to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce,
Charleston, SC
JOHN D. SPENGLER, Professor, Harvard School of Public Health,
Boston, MA
LOUIS W. SULLIVAN, President Emeritus, Morehouse School of
Medicine, Atlanta, GA
ANNE M. SWEENEY, Professor, Department of Epidemiology and
Biostatistics, Texas A&M University, College Station
G. DAVID TILMAN, Director, Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science
Reserve, Regents Professor, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
PATRICIA VERDUIN, Chief Technology Officer, Global Research &
Development, Colgate-Palmolive Company, Piscataway, NJ
NSEDU OBOT WITHERSPOON, Executive Director, Children’s
Environmental Health Network, Washington, DC

viii
HAROLD ZENICK, Director, Office of Research and Development,
National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC

IOM Staff
CHRISTINE COUSSENS, Study Director (until August 2013)
ERIN RUSCH, Associate Program Officer
SUZANNE LANDI, Research Associate
HOPE HARE, Administrative Assistant
ROSE MARIE MARTINEZ, Director, Board on Population Health and
Public Health Practice

ix
Reviewers

This workshop summary has been reviewed in draft form by persons


chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance
with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report
Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide
candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its
published workshop summary as sound as possible and to ensure that the
summary meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and
responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft
manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process. We
wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this workshop
summary:

Hilary French, United Nations Environment Programme


Canice Nolan, European Commission
David Simpson, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Kimberly Thigpen Tart, National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive


comments and suggestions, they did not see the final draft of the
workshop summary before its release. The review of this summary was
overseen by Johanna T. Dwyer, Tufts Medical Center. Appointed by
the Institute of Medicine, she was responsible for making certain that an
independent examination of this workshop summary was carried out in
accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments
were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this
summary rests entirely with the rapporteur and the institution.

xi
Contents

1 INTRODUCTION 1
Overview of Sustainability, Millenium Development Goals, and
Post-2015 Goals, 2
Structure of the Summary, 5
References, 6
2 HEALTH IN THE CONTEXT OF PROCESSES TO DEVELOP
POST-2015 GOALS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
GOALS 7
Opening, 7
The Global Thematic Consultation on Health and Incorporating
Environmental Health into the Post-2015 Development
Agenda, 8
Overview of the Report A New Global Partnership: Eradicate
Poverty and Transform Economies Through Sustainable
Development, 12
Response to Findings and Recommendations in the UN High-Level
Panel’s Report, 16
Discussion, 20
References, 22
3 HEALTH IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE
ECONOMIC FRAMEWORKS 25
Opening, 25
Going Beyond GDP: Opportunities and Challenges, 26
Inclusive Wealth: Incorporation of Health Information, 29
Happiness and Public Policy, 33
Synthesis and Response, 36
Discussion, 38
References, 41
4 HEALTH IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE SCENARIOS 43
Opening, 43
Overview of the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways for Use in New
Climate Change Scenarios, 44
Reflections on Scenario Planning, 51

xiii
xiv CONTENTS

Engaging Key Partners and Institutions in Development and


Disseminating Climate Change Scenarios, 55
Discussion, 57
References, 59
APPENDIXES
A WEBINAR AGENDAS 61
B WEBINAR SPEAKER BIOSKETCHES 67
1

Introduction1

The Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and


Medicine provides a structured opportunity for regular and open
communication among experts interested in environmental health topics
from a variety of government, academic, industry, and consumer groups.
In September 2012, the Roundtable established the Global Environmental
Health and Sustainable Development Innovation Collaborative as an ad
hoc activity to provide an adaptable pathway for discussing issues related
to sustainable development and for sharing scientific information across
United Nations (UN) system entities, international and governmental
organizations, academia, the private sector, and civil society. Through
multidisciplinary collaboration, the Innovation Collaborative seeks to
connect and leverage expertise across a variety of fields related to sustain-
able development, including economics, energy, environmental sciences,
medicine, public health, and health communication.
In December 2012, members of the Innovation Collaborative met to
develop the statement of task for the 2013 Global Environmental Health
and Sustainable Development Spring Webinar Series (see Box 1-1). An
independent planning committee, whose role was limited to planning the
webinar series in accordance with the procedures of the National Research
Council (NRC), invited experts within the fields of economics, environmental
health, global health, and public policy to present their experiences and
thoughts on the webinar topic areas. Participants in these webinars
examined frameworks for global development goals and connections to

1
The planning committee’s role was limited to planning the workshop, and the
workshop summary has been prepared by the workshop rapporteur as a factual
summary of what occurred at the workshop. Statements, recommendations, and
opinions expressed are those of individual presenters and participants, and are
not necessarily endorsed or verified by the Institute of Medicine, and they
should not be construed as reflecting any group consensus.

1
2 INCLUDING HEALTH IN GLOBAL FRAMEWORKS

BOX 1-1
Statement of Task
An ad hoc committee will plan and conduct a public three-part webinar
series (workshop) in spring 2013 on three themes identified from the 2012
fall meeting of the Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research,
and Medicine and its collaborative on Global Environmental Health and
Sustainable Development. The webinars will feature invited presentations
and discussions to look at the role of health in measuring a country’s wealth
(going beyond gross domestic product), health scenario communication, and
international health goals and indicators. The workshop will focus on fostering
discussion across academic, government, business, and civil society sectors
to make use of existing data and information that can be adapted to track
progress of global sustainable development and human health. The committee
will develop the webinar agendas, select invited speakers and discussants,
and moderate the discussions. A workshop summary based on all three
webinars will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with
National Research Council policies and procedures.

health indicators, the role for health in the context of novel sustainable
economic frameworks that go beyond gross domestic product, and
scenarios to project climate change impacts.

OVERVIEW OF SUSTAINABILITY, MILLENIUM


DEVELOPMENT GOALS, AND POST-2015 GOALS

Defined in the 1987 report by the World Commission on


Environment and Development (WCED) (commonly known as the
Brundtland Commission), the term “sustainability” comes from the
concept of sustainable development defined as “development which
meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs” (WCED, 1987).
Sustainable development is supported by three pillars—the economic,
social, and environmental dimensions—in which health is both an
outcome of and precondition for all three pillars (UN, 2012). In 1992,
sustainable development was formally endorsed by the international
community at the historic Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Earth Summit resulted in the creation of Agenda 21, an ambitious
action plan for global sustainable development (UN, 1993), and the Rio
Declaration, which outlined 27 principles for global sustainability (UN,
1992).
INTRODUCTION 3

At the Millennium Summit held in 2000, world leaders adopted the


Millennium Declaration (UN General Assembly, 2000)—a document
that sought to uphold human dignity especially for the most vulnerable
people—which gave rise to eight global development goals known as the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (see Box 1-2). The global
community set a 15-year implementation plan to achieve the specific
targets established for each MDG in order to realize overarching object-
ives such as poverty eradication, improved human health, and protection
and management of the natural resources base.

BOX 1-2
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Targets
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
1A. Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose
income is less than $1 per day
1B. Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all,
including women and young people
1C. Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who
suffer from hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
2A. Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike,
will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
3A. Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education,
preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than
2015
4. Reduce child mortality
4A. Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-5 mortality
rate
5. Improve maternal health
5A. Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal
mortality ratio
5B. Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
6A. Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
6B. Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS
for all those who need it
6C. Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of
malaria and other major diseases
4 INCLUDING HEALTH IN GLOBAL FRAMEWORKS

7. Ensure environmental sustainability


7A. Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country
policies and programs and reverse the loss of environmental
resources
7B. Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2020, a significant reduction
in the rate of loss
7C. Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable
access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation
7D. By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives
of at least 100 million slum dwellers
8. Global partnership for development
8A. Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, nondiscriminatory
trading and financial system
8B. Address the special needs of the least developed countries
8C. Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries
and small-island developing states
8D. Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing
countries through national and international measures in order
to make debt sustainable in the long term
8E. In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access
to affordable essential drugs in developing countries
8F. In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits
of new technologies, especially information and communications
NOTE: Please see The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013 for a
detailed assessment of global and regional progress made toward the
MDGs and targets: http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/
Progress2013/English2013.pdf (accessed August 14, 2013).
SOURCE: UN, 2008.

As 2015 approaches, efforts are under way at the UN to develop a set


of post-2015 goals that will provide a framework for global development
efforts during the next 15 years. In July 2012, the UN High-Level Panel
of Eminent Persons for the Post-2015 Development Agenda was convened
and tasked to make recommendations for this development agenda that
will extend beyond 2015.2 Their report was released at the end of May
2013 and titled A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform
2
The UN High-Level Panel was convened by the UN Secretary General to
advise on the global development framework beyond 2015, the target date for
the MDGs. The panel comprises 27 eminent leaders from civil society, the private
sector, and government (http://www.un.org/sg/management/hlppost2015.shtml
[accessed August 26, 2013]).
INTRODUCTION 5

Economies Through Sustainable Development.3 The High-Level Panel


highlighted the lack of collaboration between environmental and develop-
ment group efforts to further the MDGs and noted that “the MDGs fell
short by not integrating the economic, social, and environmental aspects
of sustainable development as envisaged in the Millennium Declaration,
and by not addressing the need to promote sustainable patterns of con-
sumption and production” (UN, 2013). In considering new goals and
targets for post-2015 that will promote sustainable development, the
High-Level Panel considered tangible topics such as hunger, poverty,
sanitation, and water, as well as projections related to cross-cutting topics
such as population growth and climate change. Discussions about the
post-2015 goals and targets will continue until to September 2015, when
the UN General Assembly is expected to adopt a new global development
agenda.

STRUCTURE OF THE SUMMARY

This summary was prepared by the workshop rapporteur as a factual


summary of what occurred during the webinars. All views presented in
the summary are those of the webinar participants. The summary does
not contain any findings or recommendations by the planning committee
or the Roundtable.
The presentations and discussions that occurred during the webinars
are summarized in the subsequent chapters. Chapter 2 provides a summary
of the featured presentations and discussion on existing efforts to develop
goals and indicators for the post-2015 development agenda. Chapter 3
presents a summary of the remarks and presentations focused on sustain-
able economic frameworks and links to health. Chapter 4 summarizes the
presentations on climate change scenarios and health outcomes. The
webinar agendas can be found in Appendix A and the speaker biosketches
are included in Appendix B.

3
The report is available at http://www.post2015hlp.org/wp-content/uploads/
2013/05/UN-Report.pdf (accessed August 26, 2013).
6 INCLUDING HEALTH IN GLOBAL FRAMEWORKS

REFERENCES

UN (United Nations). 1992. Report of the United Nations Conference on


Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3-14 June 1992.
A/CONF.151/26. New York: United Nations.
UN. 1993. Earth Summit: Agenda 21. The United Nations programme of action
from Rio. New York: United Nations.
UN. 2012. The future we want. A/CONF.216/L.1. New York: United Nations.
UN. 2013. A new global partnership: Eradicate poverty and transform economies
through sustainable development. The report of the High-Level Panel of
Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. New York:
United Nations.
UN General Assembly. 2000. United Nations Millennium Declaration. A/RES/55/2.
New York: United Nations.
WCED (World Commission on Environment and Development). 1987. Our
common future. Edited by G. H. Brundtland. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
2

Health in the Context of Processes to Develop Post-


2015 Goals and Sustainable Development Goals

This chapter presents a summary of a webinar on Health in the


Context of United Nations (UN) Processes to Develop Post-2015 Goals
and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The focus of the webinar
was to review the key points and gaps in existing efforts to develop new
goals and indicators for the post-2015 development agenda and discuss
how best to incorporate environmental health indictors into the indicator
development process. The first presentation, from Kumanan Rasanathan,
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), was an overview of the
Global Thematic Consultation on Health, which assembled inputs from
people and organizations around the world on how best to reflect health
in the post-2015 development agenda. The second presentation, from
John Norris, Center for American Progress, provided an overview of the
UN report (2013), A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and
Transform Economies Through Sustainable Development, developed by
the UN High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons for the Post-2015 Development
Agenda. The third presentation, from Andrew Haines, London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, specifically addressed health linkages to
the goals and indicators proposed by the UN High-Level Panel in the
New Global Partnership report. The chapter concludes with highlights of
the discussion that followed the presentations.

OPENING

John Balbus, senior advisor for public health at the National Institute
of Environmental Health Sciences and co-chair of the Global Environ-
mental Health and Sustainable Development Innovation Collaborative,
provided an overview of the webinar topic. He began by noting that the

7
8 INCLUDING HEALTH IN GLOBAL FRAMEWORKS

global burden of disease is related in part to environmental exposure, and


the need to recognize this relationship in current global development
projects is crucial, so that the health impact can be measured and any
adverse effects prevented.
As noted above, the UN High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons
released a report providing a framework for integrating new goals and
measurable targets into the post-2015 development agenda. Balbus noted
that previous Collaborative webinars addressed aspects of the post-2015
development agenda including UN processes and ways to provide input,
reasonable goals and indicators for environmental health and sustain-
ability, and health equity and social justice considerations.1 He added
that the webinar build on those themes in an effort to provide useful
information to the global community as the post-2015 agenda and SDGs
are developed.

THE GLOBAL THEMATIC CONSULTATION ON HEALTH


AND INCORPORATING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INTO
THE POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

Kumanan Rasanathan, M.B.Ch.B., M.P.H., FAFPHM


Health Specialist,
UNICEF

Kumanan Rasanathan began with the context of health in the post-


2015 agenda, which he identified as an entry point for developing
potential targets and indicators for an environmental health agenda. He
praised the UN High-Level Panel for performing well in the face of
much concern about reconciling the many different and sometimes
conflicting agendas. He explained that the process would now move to
intergovernmental discussion, with the challenge of preserving the value
of the targets under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) while
allowing for broader issues to be addressed, including the role of institutions
and the role of governance (see Box 1-2 for a detailed list of the MDGs
and related targets). A schematic of the post-2015 Development Agenda
process produced by the UN Foundation is shown in Figure 2-1.

1
A summary of these webinars is available at http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2013/
Global-Development-Goals-and-Linkages-to-Health-and-Sustainability.aspx
(accessed September 30, 2013).
PROCESSES TO DEVELOP POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT GOALS 9

The criticism of the original MDGs as an enterprise too much under


the control of a few people at the top, resulted in a participatory process
for the post-2015 development agenda. There was a huge amount of
consultation and work that fed into the UN High-Level Panel, including
country consultations, thematic consultations, regional consultations,
civil society interaction, and much more. For example, the Global Thematic
Consultation on Health—conducted and managed by UNICEF, the
World Health Organization (WHO), and the governments of Botswana
and Sweden—established a process that was as open as possible and that
eventually led to a final report. Drafts of the report were placed on the
Web for comment, and a final meeting was convened that brought
together members of the UN High-Level Panel, member state representatives,
civil society representatives, leaders of the H82 international health
agencies, and key academic leaders. The challenge with a participatory
process is that in order to please everyone, the end result could have
become a unwieldy compendium of everybody’s wish list, with far too
many indicators and targets. The final report, submitted to the UN High-
Level Panel and the Secretary General, focused on five general areas:
1. Lessons learned from MDGs.
2. Health priorities in the post-2015 era.
3. The role of health in the broader post-2015 development agenda.
4. Potential goals and targets.
5. Lessons learned from the implementation science of goals and
targets from the MDGs.
Health goals, Rasanathan said, need to be considered not just in terms of
achievements in the health sector, but also in terms of sustainable
development and well-being, in general. The health goals of the new
agenda are a continuation of the MDGs, addressing child and maternal
health, HIV, malaria, and other diseases, but adding noncommunicable
diseases. He added that there is a need to consider the contributions of

2
The Health Eight (H8) comprises leaders of the eight global international
health agencies: the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; GAVI (formerly the
Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization); the Global Fund to Fight
AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the Joint United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS; UNICEF; United Nations Population Fund; WHO; and the World
Bank. The H8 meets to discuss challenges to scaling up health services and
improving health-related MDG outcomes.
10

FIGURE
F 2-1 Schem
matic of the post-2015 development agenda
a process.
NOTES:
N HoSG = Heads
H of State Goverrnments; MDGs = Millennium
M Developpment Goals; OWG G = Open Working G Group; SDG =
Sustainable
S Developm
ment Goal; SDS Neetwork = Sustainablee Development Solu
utions Network; SG = Secretary Generall; UN = United
Nations;
N UNGA = UN General Assembly y; WG = Working Group.
G
SOURCE:
S UN Founndation and Dalberrg Analysis, 2013. Reprinted with perrmission from the U
UN Foundation.
PROCESSES TO DEVELOP POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT GOALS 11

other sectors to health, such as social determinants and people’s living


conditions. He also indicated strong support for the idea of universal
health coverage, which had been the subject of a UN General Assembly
resolution in 2011. Affordability of service is a challenge, with coverage
and quality of service as additional complicating factors.
Measuring achievement of goals is difficult, and Rasanathan cited
the healthy life expectancy31measure as potentially useful, although the
methodology may not yet be sufficiently developed. He added that there
could have been more targets identified in the goals, and noted that the
only target listed under universal health coverage was immunization,
which distressed many proponents of that goal who had hoped for more.
However, other important health-related issues were added or further
highlighted, such as
• reducing death from national disasters,
• water and sanitation,
• birth registration,
• reducing violent deaths, and
• climate change.
Rasanathan stressed that this is an ongoing process that will continue
to be dealt with at future General Assemblies. Developing indicators is a
task that presents many challenges, and presents much opportunity for
further clarification.
Rasanathan concluded by offering a view on how environmental
health issues could be better linked to the current process. The environ-
mental health community could consider targets and indicators that have
already been put forward as well as links between different sectors and
different goals and targets. The environmental health community could
also consider different options in positioning environmental concerns,
such as focusing their efforts in the health sector or in the environment or
energy sectors. Rasanathan urged a policy of thinking strategically and
being more aggressive in putting potential targets and indicators on the
table for consideration and debate.

3
Healthy life expectancy is based on mortality and morbidity data that is used to
calculate the average number of years that a person can expect to live in full
health (free from disability or disease) when taking into account years lived in
less than full health due to disease and injury. Further information is available at
http://www.who.int/healthinfo/statistics/indhale/en (accessed September 9, 2013).
12 INCLUDING HEALTH IN GLOBAL FRAMEWORKS

OVERVIEW OF THE REPORT A NEW GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP:


ERADICATE POVERTY AND TRANSFORM ECONOMIES
THROUGH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

John Norris, M.P.A.


Executive Director, Sustainable Security and Peace Building Initiative,
Center for American Progress

John Norris began by describing efforts leading up to the release of


the UN High-Level Panel report on A New Global Partnership: Eradicate
Poverty and Transform Economies Through Sustainable Development.
He characterized the recent UN Rio +2042Summit as “something of a
train wreck,” adding that there was a perception that the whole process of
multilateralism had faltered. The UN High-Level Panel had to deal with
the disappointment this perception caused. They wanted to build on the
successes of the existing MDGs in the report and preserve parts of the
agenda that had been effective, such as those concerning health and
education—but, they also had to confront the failures of the agenda, such
as initiatives on the environment.
The record of MDG implementation during the past 13 years has
been uneven, Norris said, noting that although millions have moved from
poverty into middle income status, traditionally marginalized populations
have often been left behind. This issue brings to light the tension between
the anti-poverty and environmental communities, which Norris described
as a considerable source of tension in the UN High-Level Panel. Each
community feared the other would divert funding from its issues, and
trying to resolve this conflict was central to the High-Level Panel’s work.
Another important issue was the difference between the procedures
and funding landscape in 2000 compared with 2013. The original MDGs
were produced behind closed doors, largely by a handful of represent-
atives from the UN, some key member states, and international financial
institutions. Creating the post-2015 agenda was envisioned as a much
more transparent process, involving civil society, implementing partners,
private philanthropy, and the business community. To achieve this, the
UN held a series of consultations in more than 100 countries around the
4
Rio +20 is the short name for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development
which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012, 20 years after the 1992
Earth Summit in Rio. More information is available at http://www.uncsd
2012.org/about.html (accessed August 26, 2013).
PROCESSES TO DEVELOP POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT GOALS 13

globe, which Norris credits with changing the agenda in important ways
that may help in subsequent intergovernmental negotiations. Norris also
noted that the amount of official development assistance has diminished
over time, with less going to environmental issues, health issues, and
development in general. However, development funding from foreign
direct investment, domestic resource mobilization, and private
philanthropy is increasing. The High-Level Panel felt that this change in
funding sources should be reflected in a constructive way in the post-
2015 agenda.
The UN High-Level Panel’s main achievement in the report on A
New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies
Through Sustainable Development was resolving the tension between the
anti-poverty and the environmental communities, said Norris. The panel
set a goal of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030, but emphasized that
this was to be accomplished within a framework of sustainability. He
added that the agenda is truly universal, and designed to be applied to all
countries, whereas the original MDGs were largely designed by donor
nations to deal with recipient countries. This focus on universality—for
instance, the willingness of the United States and the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in particular, to
examine some of their own environmental problems—helped to convince
key Latin American actors on the High-Level Panel to participate. Norris
mentioned that in a welcome change, environmental concerns are now
included within multiple goals and targets.
Another important change in the report, Norris said, is an emphasis
on institutions, governance, and peace. More than 40 percent of the
world’s poor live in areas afflicted with violence and turmoil. Poverty,
health, and environmental issues cannot be dealt with until these areas
are helped to emerge from conflict. Norris added that budget transparency
and a more informed and connected public can lead to better choices in
the use of the environment, health spending, and other investments.
Unfortunately, not all member states agree on these topics, although he
stressed that the process of setting goals and targets was based on
consensus.
In terms of specific goals and targets in heath, Norris stated that there
is a lot of continuity with the original MDGs (see Box 2-1 for a list of the
universal goals proposed by the UN High-Level Panel). Infant and child
mortality, maternal mortality, and sexual and reproductive health and
rights were part of the original goals, and have been expanded in the new
14 INCLUDING HEALTH IN GLOBAL FRAMEWORKS

BOX 2-1
Universal Goals from the UN High-Level Panel Report
1. End poverty
2. Empower girls and women and achieve gender equality
3. Provide quality education and lifelong learning
4. Ensure healthy lives
5. Ensure food security and good nutrition
6. Achieve universal access to water and sanitation
7. Secure sustainable energy
8. Create jobs, sustainable livelihoods, and equitable growth
9. Manage natural resource assets sustainably
10. Ensure good governance and effective institutions
11. Ensure stable and peaceful societies
12. Create a global enabling environment and catalyze long-term finance

SOURCE: UN, 2013.

agenda, to which noncommunicable diseases also have been added—an


addition Norris noted was important in terms of environmental health.
Including healthy life expectancy as a target was discussed but was not
adopted, which Norris said was disappointing. He noted that healthy life
expectancy is a fairly new concept, and some public education within the
intergovernmental process is needed before it can be accepted. He also
noted that healthy life expectancy makes a good proxy indicator for many
goals, across many sectors, and in many countries.
The section of the agenda that dealt with environmental issues was
challenging, Norris said, adding that although global climate negotiations,
trade talks, and financial discussions could not be addressed though the
UN High-Level Panel, areas of consensus were identified. Environmental
targets under Goal 7 (securing sustainable energy) included the Sustainable
Energy for All initiative, which proposed doubling the rate of renewables
in the global energy mix, and doubling the global rate of improvement in
energy efficient buildings, industry, agriculture, and transport.53This

5
According to the report of the UN High-Level Panel, this goal implies a 2.4
percent annual efficiency gain by 2030 compared with 1.2 percent, which was
achieved from 1970 to 2008, according to the Global Energy Assessment from
the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (http://www.iiasa.ac.at/
PROCESSES TO DEVELOP POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT GOALS 15

initiative has been well received, said Norris. The effort to reduce fossil
fuel subsidies is complicated by the enormous sums of money at stake,
and although it has been approved at the G8 and G20 levels,64it has not
achieved much success.
The concept of sustainable consumption and production touches on
many environmental areas. Strategies such as post-harvest waste reduction,
agricultural efficiency, sustainable fisheries, and water and sanitation
improvements have not only a significant environmental impact, but also
a significant economic one, and they generate a lot of popular support.
Norris noted that agreement on clear numbers and measures to gather
these data is needed to further specific environmental targets in the post-
2015 agenda; otherwise, they are likely to be ignored, as occurred in the
MDG process. For example, for MDG 7 (ensuring environmental sustain-
ability) and Target 9 (integrating the principles of sustainable development
into country policies and programs and reversing the loss of environmental
resources),75the data underlying these efforts are not very robust, in part
because consensus was lacking when the target levels and associated
indicators were developed. Norris doubted that member states agreed on
the definition of deforestation or which forests would be included in
Indicator 25 (proportion of land area covered by forest), and added that
there were concerns about land use, with consequent legal implications
for both developed and developing nations. Overall, these efforts were
not very data-driven, leaving much work to be done for the post-2015
agenda.
Norris concluded his presentation with the observation that
environmental and poverty reduction issues need to be considered
together, and that financial discussions about these should not just
include member states and the international and financial institutions
alone. Financial discussions should be broader and include the private
sector, private philanthropy, and civil society. Only then can the necessary
support and resources be assembled and mobilized to meet this very
ambitious agenda.

web/home/research/Flagship-Projects/Global-Energy-Assessment/Home-GEA.
en.html [accessed September 9, 2013]).
6
The G8, or Group of Eight, is an assembly of world leaders who meet annually
to discuss global issues. The G20, or Group of Twenty, is an assembly of finance
ministers and central bank governors.
7
See http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/goals/gti.htm (accessed August 28,
2013).
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
Beekerstraat op, terug van de Haven, weer naar de
akkers. Achter ’m áán, klonk zachte meisjesstem,
zwak huilerig geroep:

—Foàder!.… foàder!.…

Kees bleef staan, keek om. Dientje was ’t, z’n


dochtertje van negen, met groote mand poonen voor
d’r lijfje. Sleeperig en vermoeid stapte ze uit ’t duister
op ’m àf, bleef kleintjes-stil naast ’m staan.—

—Nou pas van de hoafe!.…

—Joà, foader, ikke hep.… hep veur vaif en sestig sinte


f’rkocht,.… enne.… enne ikke hep.… hullie selle.…
sellefers van Kerkfoart, hoalt,.… mi’ Jans.… hain en
weer foader!.…

—Moar wá’ duufel! je hep veul vroeger thuis kenne


sain.. D’r is nou niks meer van doene op de hoafe!.…

—Joa.… moar.… moar moeder hep.… sait.… hep


sait.… daa’k al de herreberge.… in mos.… toe
heppe.… heppe.… enne sien u.… toen heppe
manne.… main woar opfraite.… enne.… enne.… se
binne dronke weust.… enne.… se heppe d’r vaif
opfraite mi-sonder betoale.… toe hep de kastelain
sait.… enne.… hier.… [33]

Haar stemmetje snikte en hijgde. Ze had zoo bar


gehuild van angst, dat de kastelein ’r de vijf poonen
vergoeden kwam, verzekerend goeiig dat ie ’t wel ’n
keer met ’r vinden zou. En nou kon ze haar verhaal
niet eens eindigen, zoo ontroerd en vermoeid was ze
nog.

Kees voelde de uitputting in ’r snikstemmetje, kreeg


meelij ’n beetje met ’t kind, hield z’n groote stappen in,
dat ze’m beter bij kon houden. Want zóó liep ze zich
uit ’r adem. Maar vertrouwen toch deed ie ’r geen zier.
Dat kreng van nege was al soo duufels valsch vroom
aa’s d’r moer.—

—Gaif main je mand moar hier!.. Nog negotie in?.…

—Nog vaiftien poone.… enne … enne … agt bos


skarre … moar moeder mo’k de sinte gaife.…

Angstig gesmoord klonk ’r stemmetje. Ze dacht dat


Kees ’r wat wou afnemen, in ’r schuwheid niet
begrijpend dat ie ’r ging ontlasten van vracht.

—Hou je bek, snauwde woest-driftig Kees, ik vroag je


sinte nie.… Hep je moer seker-en-sait.… dâ’ je noa je
foader mot-en-soeke in de kroeg.… hee?.…

—Neenet! vast nie!.… vast nie!.… stotterde Dientje,


bangelijk-onzeker. Maar Kees, uit ’r ontdaan
stemgebeef, voelde dat ze loog. Hij zou maar niet
verder vragen.

—En hoe hep Wimpie ’t daàn f’doag?.…

Ongemerkt, had ie weer aangestapt in lange passen,


dat ’t kind hijgend en zuchtend weer àchter ’m aanliep,
met ’r handje in ’r pijnende zij gedrukt.—Zoelte woei
ze van den weg-naar zee, in ’t gezicht. Geur van
meidoorn wellustte zoeter rond, den kant op naar
Duinkijk, al zoeter, als lag in ’t duinduister een
rozenhof uit te ademen. Diep groendonker azuurde de
lucht, met bleek sterrezaaisel, en suizel-droomrig
zoelde boomgeruisch van alle zijpaadjes áán. Zacht
ging er fluisterkoelte door geblader. Langs de reuk-
zwangere hagen, trilde vochtig-zoele aardgeur,
vloeide uit, wijd uit, in de verzaligde avondrust.

Dientje, bangelijk, gejaagd, slecht ziend op duisteren


weg, voelde hartkloppingen en duizelingen van onrust.
Haar vader had ze niet eens geantwoord.— [34]

—Nou! schreeuwde Kees barsch, dat ze opschrok uit


’r angstmijmer. Niets voelde ie meer van meelij voor
haar kinderzwoeg.—

—Ikke.… wa?.. ikke.. wa?

—Wá’.… wa’.. bauwde ie na, grimmig. Hoe hep


Wimpie ’t daan?.…

—Ikke.… bin tog nie … tuis-en weust … F’morge..


vroeg bi’k mi Jansie na Kerkevoart-en-goan.…
enne.… enne.… so wee’k nies.—Kees zweeg. De
mand schuurde en kraakte langs z’n arm als Dientje in
waggelgangetje er tegen opbotste. Nou rook ie alleen
vischstank van scharren en poonen, die ’m wee
maakte. Gejaagder stapte Dien beensnellend mee,
zonder te durven zeggen dat ze’m niet bijhouen kon.
—Ze had vreeselijke angst Dientje, en hartkloppingen.
D’r vader wou ze ’t wel biechten. Van de zestig
poonen die ze meekreeg van d’r moeder, had ze in
den avond één vette opgepeuzeld, zoo maar van
hongerigheid. Ze wist dat zóó iets ’r moeder dol
maakte van woede. Eens was ze er mee thuisgestapt,
had moeder ’r half lam geranseld in woeste nijdigheid.
—„Jai poone fraite en wullie hongere, dá’ sel dur ’n
mooie worde”, had ze uitgekrijscht en d’r al maar
heviger dooreen gerammeld, dat ’t bloed ’r in de
oogen vlekte. En nou had ze ’t weer gedaan. Heel
vroeg in den ochtend, naar Kerkervaart loopend, had
ze’n paar hompen brood meegekregen, voor den
heelen dag.—Tegen den middag, toen Jansie naar
huis was gegaan, had zij wat bij den weg gebedeld en
pompwater òpgezogen uit d’r klompje. Maar toen ’s
avonds, heel laat, aan de donkere, woelige Haven,
tusschen al het gerij, gehos, geschreeuw en geratel in,
voelde ze zich zoo wee en hongerig, dat ze ’t niet
langer bedwingen kòn.

Eer ze ’t goed wist, had ze ’n poon, ’n klein vettertje


van twee cent uit ’r mand gescheurd, angstig
omgekeken, ’n beet in z’n kop gegeven en zoo
smakkend en zuigend, tot de glimmige vette velletjes
toe, afgezogen en òpgeslikkerbikt. Reuk van groenten,
geur van vruchten en drankstank hadden ’r geprikkeld
en beduizeld. Maar zoodra ze’m òpvoelde begon
[35]angst en berouw in ’r te woelen. Want èlke cent
moest ze verantwoorden. Moeder telde precies alles
àf. En nou had ze ’t weer gedaan. Ze durfde niet,
durfde niet naar binnen. Razende angst deed ’r beven.
—Haar hart klopte en hamerde in ’r keel. Niets voelde
ze meer van beenenmoeheid, van snellen sjok en
uitputting. Alleen maar angst, zenuwangst voor ’r
moeder, ’r grootmoeder, die er zich ook in bemoeien
zou. Toen ze Kees wat zeggen wou, vooruit al
eigenlijk twee centen vragen om bij te leggen, stonden
ze vlak voor ’t krot, kon ze geen woord meer eruit
krijgen van bevende, stikkende benauwing en
bedremmeling. [36]

[Inhoud]
TWEEDE HOOFDSTUK.

De aardbeipluk was ophanden. Nog wel niet in één de


groote haal, maar toch, als ’t ochtendgloorde, ’t land
nog in grauwen dauw dampte en langzaam,
brandroode nevel boven de verre, vaal aangroenende
akkers uitkleurde, morgengloed door doodstille
luchten sintelde,—dan hurkten, vóór zonnebol zelf
òpvuurde, de tuinders al tusschen de nauwe paadjes,
omkringd van kinders, jongens en meisjes; was er al
druk gesjok en gesjouw van één naar anderen hoek,
om arbeid te verdeelen tusschen eigen zwerm en
vreemde plukkersknechten.

De eerste haal zette in, met zware zonnedaverende


hitte. Na de kleur-orgie van tulpenbrand en òpbloei
van hyacinten, was nu plots bij hoeken hier en daar op
Duinkijksche akkers, even vóór den pluk, wondere zee
van hoog-gele en paars-blauwe irissen, goud-geel
beschubd, komen aangolven over ’t land. Klein was de
teelt, op ènkele akkers, maar hoog de pracht van den
in licht-dauw omzeefden paars-blauwen irissenbrand.

Graanhalm-hoog moireerden in golving van stengels,


akkers weer, als in herbloei van hyacinten en tulpen,
paarsblauwe en goudrandig geschubde. Achter en
tusschen de hevige paars-zee, bloeiden helgouden
pronkbekers van licht; welde glans, hooge brand als
van graanvelden, duizelend, spartelend, kokend-hoog
goud met brokken ertusschen, moireerend naar
geelgoud, tegen de diepe golfzee van schitter
paarsblauw, in ’t groene akkerland.

Als mythische stad in zonnedroom, met één slag door


Satan neergetooverd in duivelszwaai van bloedrooden
mantel en vampiergebaar van z’n armen, was
herrezen dáár, uit eerst [37]groene, stil-mijmerende
aarde, een lichtfeest, een tooi, in woesten kleuren-
wellust; herrezen een mythische stad, volgestort van
sprokelicht, van nevel en vonken dooréén; stad, met
wegjes van enkel stralend vuurgoud.—Zoo in
wondrengloei, rankten en slankten de irissen, op ’n
vloer van bevende glansen.—Uit de stille grasaarde,
tusschen het nog dorrende loof, drong een òpstand
van vreemd-starende bloemwezens, zonnedronken
onder de warme uitgeuring van hun kleur-heete zielen.

Als in hemelspraak met ’t azuur, gedrenkt in ’t blauw


van uitspansel, bleven ze daar wiegelen de gekleurde
zielen, de vreemd starende bloemwezens,
samengestald in hun mythische stad van licht,
stralend paars en goud, in daverenden zonnezang van
akkers.

Boven hen wisselden de luchten, groeiden en


stapelden òp de wolksteden in zilverende lichtglansen,
verduisterend de bloemenpracht, verbrokkelend den
zonnedroom. En fijn schuimde er doorheen, ’t zilte
zilver van den polderhemel, wazig en gebroken in
glanzende neveling. En weer later, in satansgebaar
neergetooverd, rankte en wiegelde op andere akkers,
rond de irissen, dooreenwemelende bloei van kleur-
wisselende anemonen.—Eén dans van
kleurebloempjes, op rank-teere stengels,
kopjesknikkend en wiegelend in windspel. Eén
kankaneeren van donkerdiep dahliarood, rouw-fluweel
met paars-purp’ren starren. Eén rondedans van
korenblauw met zonnegoud, één sliertige omhelzing
van roze bloemekopjes met goud-rood en oranje
wezentjes.—Eén regening en zegening van
doorééngewaaide kleurtjes, lichtjes, vlammetjes en
brandjes, in vurige kleuren-kelkjes verfonkelend.—

Zoo gloeiden de anemonenbedden, tusschen de


simpele teelt van erwten, wortels, sla en rhabarber, als
een hageling van zomerkleuren, verpurperend en
vergouend, verpaarsend en verblauwend de akkers, in
jubelenden schitter en diep-geurende gloeiende
zonnigheid. Zóó, als voorspel op den aardbeihaal,
tusschen de vruchtjes in, bachanaalde ’t dronken iris-
en anemonefeestje, in toover van licht, in
zwijmelenden zonnedroom.

De hoog-groene aardbeiakkers, zilverend in


lichtglanzen, [38]overal ingesloten tusschen de goud-
groene doorzonde hagentrofee van bladeren,
doordarteld van glansen en vonkjes, juichten in den
opbloei der vruchtjes.

Overal gloeiden in warme purpering de spitsige


kogeltjes op zandgrond, die paarsig brandde van
hette, naast heele bedden onrijpe amazonen, als
beschilderde vruchtjes, flauw aan éen kant
roodgevlekt tusschen het lage bladerdiep.—

Op de akkers hurkten neergezwermd, plukkers en


pluksters in ’t woelige kleurgewiegel van hun kleeren,
en overal was druk gedrentel en mandjesgesjouw,
overal volgepropte bakken die verdragen werden uit
zon.—Naast de akkers van Ouë Gerrit, hurkte in
halven kring, kinderenzwerm van oom Hassel, in vale,
voddige kleeren. Al z’n gespuis, tot ’n meisje van
zeven, had ie aan ’t plukken gezet, in zwijmelkoortsige
jacht, om te halen, te hàlen, hooger prijs te maken,
anderen voor te zijn met goed, wel wetend dat de
sterke werkmacht van al die rappe handjes, snel in
pluk en grabbel, hèm niets kostte.

Werkroes koortste door Duinkijk en Wiereland. Elke


minuut van langen ademhaal, rustend, was verlies.
Koopers joegen, bemiddelaars joegen, bazen joegen
hun kinders, los volk en vaste plukkers joegen elkaar.

Oom Hassel schreeuwde naar ’n troepje meisjes, dat


inhurkte tusschen de nauwe aardbeipaadjes, in felle
gloeizon:

—Denk d’r’an, jullie niks aa’s soete fransies!.. en


Emmetjes.. mi sonder doppies.. en f’noàfed éers de
halfe raipe in sloffies! De kinders stemmedrukten en
joelden uitgelaten terug, dat ’t goed was, nog
vroolijkend in ’t vroeg-landelijke ochtenduur, blij niet op
de schoolbanken te zitten, den heelen pluktijd door.—

Vóór ingehurkten kniebuk uit, grabbelden hun handjes


tusschen de groen-zilveren lichthuivering van
bladeren, zoekend en tastend naar de rijpe vruchtjes,
die bloedden in vochtig fonkelrood, puntig
doorspikkeld van gouden spatjes. Licht purperden en
hoogrood glansden in speelsche gloedjes en vonken
de aardbeien in de brons-zanderige kinderknuistjes;
handjes vol zoet-geurende vruchtjes, gloeiend in
zonneschitter. Telkens, [39]de palmpjes volgeplukt,
kogelden ze de vruchtjes voorzichtig in de brons-
teenen mandjes, donkere zuiltjes, volgestapeld in
speelsch gebaar, met vuur.—

—He’ je nog mandjes doar? schreeuwde ’n plukker.

’n Kleine meid, in rood verflodderd en gescheurd kort


rokje, losgehaakt op den rug, dat wit ondergoed en
baleintjes er door heenschemerden, smeet mandjes
door de paadjes àchter plukkersklompen, in joligen
zwiep van ’r kinderarmpjes. Ze speelde er mee,
gooide maar òp, te veel, dat de broers om ’r heen
vloekten. In krommen hurk schoven de plukkers voort,
op de knel-nauwe paadjes, die zandig-heet lila-paars
schemerden tusschen het groen, elk klaargeplukt
mandje opgestapeld met „kòp”, achter hun hielen
neerbouwend.—

Tusschen al de paadjes van de verre akkers slangden


de donker- en lichtroode vruchtjes in lage
mandzuiltjes, zoetelijk geurend en vervochtend in de
grove plukkershanden, die doortastten maar, onder ’t
loof, telkens òpdiepten met de vuile vingers de
vuurvonkende kogeltjes. Zóó, achter de ingehurkte
plukkende lijven, vlamden de volgepropte mand-
zuiltjes in karmijnen brand, in donkere en licht-
gloeiende omzooming van de hèl-groen bladerige
bedden; lange roode zuil-gangetjes, vurig van
lijngolving in heet zonnegoud, in trillende hittesfeer,
omzeefd van dampig licht, nevelig van rooden gloed,
overal tusschen het frisch-joelende jubelgroen en ’t
zilverspatten van zon-natte bladeren. Geuren van
grond en vruchten, zwijmelden en wellustten rond uit
den blank-gouden, blauw-diepen hemel; zwijmel van
reuken en sappen. Rood bevlekt en besapt graaiden
overal de geweldige barsche plukklauwen der
werkers, vervuild en doorgroefd van aardwroet,
tusschen het jonge heete aardbeienbloed. En nat van
sappen, walmden zacht de kleine zonnig verbronsde
kinderknuistjes tusschen lichtrood en dieprood,
tusschen vuur dat laaide en vonkte, en karmijn dat
sintelde, lekte, smeulde.

Door héél Duinkijk en Wiereland vonkte, spatte en


purperde ’t rood van aardbei, tusschen de groen-
flonkerende omhaagde hoeken; spartelden de handjes
gezwollen van greep en pluk, [40]ging één zoet-zalige
stroom van rooden geurdamp zwoel over de akkers.

Guurt en Dirk plukten gelijk op, aan één bed, Kees, de


Ouë en Piet, ’n anderen hoek uit. Ouë Gerrit had al
heel vroeg gedaan bij de nieuwe familie op ’t plaatsje.
Nou zat ie gretig mee te plukken. Z’n rug brak ’m wel,
pijnde en stak als werden er naalden ingeboord, maar
daar gaf ie niks om. ’t Moest, moèst nou. ’n
Daggeldersloon viel er zoo wel uit te winnen. De
kerels zouden ’m ook anders te lijf gaan. Z’n knieën tot
op de borst ingehurkt, bij de kin wegknellend z’n
baard, grabbelde ie met twee handen te gelijk, trillerig
in z’n beenen, ’t loof omwoelend, de vruchtjes vlug
neerkogelend in z’n mandje, zonder ze te kneuzen
toch.
Hij gromde stil, dat ’r van z’n vervreten hoek rijp geen
eetbaar vruchtje terecht was gekomen. Schade van
honderden!.… Dá’ stopte ie zoo nooit.. hoho! hoho!—
Woedend was ie ook dat z’n rooie kool zoo slecht
stond.—Nou had ie op ’n lekker sonnig hoekie soaid,
van s’n swoarsten grond, bestig bemest, en nou
stonge se krek aa’s stokkies, deurvrete van
oardevlooi.… En nog meer!.… s’n uitjes.. stonge
slecht.. tedicht op malkoar soait.… weer skult van
Piet.… hep ’t soo wille.… enne.… van de
somerandaifie.. kwam ook nie veul.… most nou al ’n
beetje gele kop hewwe!.… skuld van die f’rekt slechte
woàteràfvoer.…

—Hee Ouë, denk ’r ’an, dá’ jai strak-en-an die hoek


overnaimp! Ik mó’ nog bosse veur f’nòafed.… hai hep
de mande, veur àftetarre an de hoàfe.…

Ouë Gerrit had zich naar Dirk gedraaid, die ’m uit


erwtenpad toeschreeuwde. Schroeiend begloeide de
zon akkerruim, dat hette uitdampte. In één bukkenden
hurk, van knie op knie, schoven de werkers voort
tusschen het prachtgroen, vervuild van zweet en
martelenden pluk, met den steekbrand van zon op
nekken en ruggen. Boven de aardbeibedden stond de
lucht, blauwe jubel van uitspansel, stil van zoete
geuren. In wierook gedrenkt, zwangerde de aarde van
reuken, heimweevol en zalig. Met moeite zwierven
klankgeruchten van straatjes [41]en lanen òver naar
akkers, door de geurnevelen héén.—

In één kniel- en bukstand schoven ze voort, werkers


en kinders, zonder òpzien. Met wat vluchtige happen
was de voorschaft gedaan, en dadelijk weer stonden
ze klaar, opgejaagd met ’t broodpaffe nog in hun
maag; liepen ze uit schaduwluwte, koelend groen van
’n haag, naar de gloeibedden terug, kniegebukt weer,
op heet-zandige paadjes.

Ze voelden wel, de werkers, dat ’t nu ging om hun


rust, hùn bestaan. Als de eerste haal maar
voorbijbroeide, was er van zelf weer ’n dagje kalmer
pluk uit de onstuimige aankolking van werkhaast en
ploeterjacht.

Elken dag kwam zonneschroei heeter neerdaveren


over de akkers, die droog-stoffig smachtten naar
lafenis, en vroèger in den morgen wroetten de
tuinders op de zengende vlakte, onder ’t neerkokende
licht, in opjagender grabbel tusschen hun aardbeien;
de handen voller van vuur-fonkelende vruchtjes, die al
dièper of hoòger kleurden in zonnelaai, donker
bloedden of lichter bevlamden de aarde, in stil-
ziedend rood, verstapeld in de vurige zuil-mandjes, als
vloeide boven de akkers ènkel heet spel van purper
en goudgroenen vochtigen weerschijn.—

Eindelijk was de groote haal ingevallen. Ouë Gerrit


had van z’n berijpte akkers niets gehaald. De vrucht
was niet gezet, stond er wormstekig en puisterig
flauw-rood. Tòch zou ie ze beet nemen.—Maar z’n
andere jonge hoeken, ’t vorige jaar pas ingerankt,
stonden mooi vol, maakten dat ie niet al te zwaar
gromde. En gelijk-áán werkte ie met de jongens op ’t
land, gelijk ging ie met ze heen.—De hitte deed ’m
zich plezierig, lèkker voelen en ’t geld dat inkwam
gulzigde naar meer.

Z’n steelzucht begon wat te koelen in de hitte van den


werkroes, en z’n eigen gebroken karkas, voelde ie
alleen ’s avonds verschroeid op bed, als z’n vrouw
naast ’m lag te puffen en te snorken met ’r
lippenblaas. Even, nu en dan, bromde er wel wilde lust
tot gannefen in ’m, maar de akkers stonden vol
werkvolk, overal had je oogen nòu. Zoo temperde z’n
begeerte [42]van zelf in de plukjacht, in de zekere
opstapeling van de centen, dàn in die, dàn in ’n
anderen kasthoek, dat de jongens niet wisten wààr.
Alleen Guurt mocht ’t zien.—

—Manskappe, f’doag allainig ònraipe!.. in de


sloffies.…

Gain raipe hoho!.… die naim tie puur nie.… had de


Ouë, om half vier uit huis, in den ochtend ’t land
opstappend, gezeid tegen de jongens.

Vroeg al zengde de zon, dat ’t zand onder hun heete,


van strakken zit gekneusde knieën brandde.

Guurt, met ’r zwaar lijf tusschen de bedjes geperst, in


’n oud-blauw jak en dof rooien onderrok, smeet de
goudlichte slofjes vóór haar de paadjes in, achter de
hielen van de knielende plukkers. Haar strooien
breed-gerande hoed, hoepelde scheef, met ’n zwart
bandje, gesnoerd om ’r blanke kin en los rond de
ooren, spinragde fijnste goud van ’r harenkrul uit.—
Ouë Gerrit keek nu en dan onrustig rond of ’r wel
achtereen gewerkt werd, naar Guurt en Piet en naar
twee nieuwe plukkers, die hij nog met moeite
gekregen had.

Oom Hassel plukte in mandjes met z’n kinderzwerm


rondom in kruip en hurk tusschen de bedjes. Eén kerel
liep tusschen de paadjes in, gaarde de mandjes
bijéén, stapelde ze in groote houten bakken op ’n kar,
aan den wegkant. Eerst nog moesten ze naar huis
gereden en in den avond, naar de haven gebracht.
Bak aan bak dáár op de kar, hijgde rooden adem uit,
zoeten wierook. Bakbrokken, hàlf nog in zon, met de
bronzen, hooge mandjes-opstapeling, gloeiden fel-
rood, vloeiende bloed-glansen, in ’t groen geblaar
verdoken. Andere uit zon, in luwte-haag van schaduw,
verdampten karmijn, in gesmoord passie-rood.
Daartusschen in, schakeerden de bakken in zangerig
purper, diep en vroom, waarop weer nieuwe kisten
neèrgesmakt werden, met zwaren adem, rood van
opstand; vruchtbakken inzuigend ’t licht, rood-donker
en diep als het smarte-hart van duister-fluweelen
dahlia.—Telkens meer plukkers stapelden kisten òp,
onder en naast hagen, met sla en wortelen, maar alles
weer overstapeld door aardbeigloei, dat ’t klaterde en
smeulde, hel-daverde en zong, ’t rood, ’t goud-
doorvonkte [43]vruchtpurper, tusschen het rondom
dringende uitwasemende groen, het goudgroen van
boom en hagen.—

Overal verspreid, langs de akkers, zetten kleur-


kleeren van plukkers, sjofel en gehavend, maar in
pracht-koloriet er toonhoog in versmeltend, warmte en
diepte tusschen groen en hemelblauw; waasde er
zeef-fijn, gouddampend licht, een sfeer van bevende
uitwisselende glansen òver den pluk-arbeid héén, die
de werkers verheiligde in den geweldigen ernst van
hun ploeter; wiegden en wuifden ’n licht-brio rond, die
vèr, heel ver wègschoof wat dichtbij lag, als week ’t
landschap, in de trilling van lichtdampen, geuren en
glansen, onder den zonnedaver en hittenevel telkens
meer en meer achteruit, àl achteruit.—

Drie kleintjes van oom Hassel, tengere meisjes, lagen


ingekneld met blond-strooien hoedjes, verbogen als
leger-des-Heils-kiepjes, met witte bandjes om blanke
kinnetjes gesnoerd, stil te plukken, ’t kokende
zongesteek en lichtgegolf op hun kleurige bradende
ruggetjes.—Ze hurkten, knielden van knie op knie, en
kreunden soms van pijn.

—Ik kâ nie meer van main stuut, kermde één, pijn-


vertrokken rechtòp spannend ’t lijfje in ’r rood jakje, dat
de borstjes zwollen, ’t kleine gezichtje even uitdook
onder hoeddiepte. Suffig bleef ze uitkijken, een knuisje
in de rugstuit gedrukt.

—Nou seg, mô’ je main knieë voele.… die binne


heuldegoar deur t’met.

—Seur jullie tog nie!.. de son is ’n kwoaje veur ons..


en d’r is nog ’n heule doàg, zei wrevelig de oudste, ’n
ruk naar beneden gevend aan den rand van ’r
zonnehoed, de twee klagenden met gebaren
opporrend te werken.

Zachter wrevelde ’r stem na:


—Kaik! Willem loert al.… aa’s ie jullie in de goàte
kraigt.. bin jullie d’r bai.… bai foader!.…

De kleine, die ’t eerst geklaagd had over rugpijn bleef


droomerig ’t bedje afstaren, ’r knietjes verhit en pijn-
zwaar onder ’t tengere lijfje, speelsch de vuurlijn van
purperende mandjes, vòòr haar padje, met ’r knuistje
voor de oogen, brekend.—Gedachteloos [44]at ze wat
aardbeien uit ’r hand òp, plukkend onderwijl door,
zonder ’r naar te zien, nog speelscher in kinder-
luimigheid òpkaatsend snel achteréen, wat vruchtjes
boven ’r hoofd, roodglanzende kogeltjes, vurig de
luchtblauwte in, dat ’t vochtrood spiraalde boven ’r
schalks gezichtje. Als vlammige kurketrekkertjes
puntten de vruchtjes nèer op ’r smoezelige blanke
handjes, die dropen van aardbei-bloed. Maar gauw,
met ’n angst-woesten duw in ’r rug en ’n snauw van
ouder zusje òver ’t bed naar ’r toegebogen, hurkte ze
weer in, grabbelden ’r pootjes tusschen het groen van
’t bladerengewoel, telkens vòller van fonkelend roode
vruchtjes, ze voorzichtig neerkogelend in de mandjes.

De groote plukkers, mannen en meiden, knielden en


hurkten, telkens wisselend van knie en houding, in
gloeipijn niet meer wetend, hoe te graaien; schoven
voort, zwijgend in koortsigen arbeid, in stommen
worstel tegen de kookzon, die doorzengde, brandend
op hun koppen, nekken en rug, dat hun goed heet
verschuurde op ’t naakte zweetlijf. Vèr, òver hun
dampende gemartelde koppen, bleef blauwen zalig
azuur, tot achter zwoeg van verste plukkers. Gestalten
in buk, kruipend over de akkers, vernevelden daar in
hitteviolet, floersig en barnend. En tusschen hen in,
joelden geuren en kleuren, in de klare zuiverte van het
eindloos hooger en hooger vertintlend blauw,
doorschijnend en rein als albast.—Tusschen het groen
ging paars-korte schaduw op den grond van
werklijven, die bewogen of sjouwden, bak ààn bak àf;
ging licht wiegel en gouden heete trillingen van losse
groenteranken, pal in ’t zonnevuur verterend,
smeltend weer in zilveren afkaatsing, vergloeiend op
kantblaadjes van hagen. En telkens ànders weer lag ’t
land geblakerd en schroeiend gezoend aan de kanten,
als spel van windkringen door boomkruinen
heenwuifde, verblindende warreling van waterval-
goudgespat tusschen bladeren-bogen neerstortte òver
de paars-dampende hitteaarde. Telkens uit andere
hoeken, vervluchtigde kwinkeleerende jubel van
vogels, tierelierende zangers op lucht-fluiten, met
cierfijnen fladder, donker scherend ’t hemeldiepe,
blauw-roerlooze in. En soms, [45]beefde zachtjes en
fijn, als enkel cierkronkelig lijntje van geluid, klaar
kinderstemmetje òp in zang, achter hagengroei,
ontroerend en dartel tegelijk.—

Achter Kees en Piet in pracht-roode rijen kronkelden


de slofjes áán als blank gevlochten goud, ’t
vruchtenvuur brekend in gloed, tusschen groen.
Gaterig en bleek vlekten de onrijpe aardbeien
ertusschen. Voorbij de vuur-omzooming van de groen-
glanzende bedjes, tusschen ’t gevlam en geknetter
van ’t doorzonde karmijn, liepen de kerels drukker met
bakken áán en af.

—Snôf’rjenne Guurt, jai plukt te raip, schreeuwde Dirk


onthutst.… sullie naime f’rdomme soo nie.… motte
onderweg puur-en-raipe.… ’t is veur Duijtsland.. hep
de Ouë nog soò sait.…

—Dà’ te raip?!.. Wel neenet! Hullie binne.…

—Debies! seg moar heé? Kaik dan sellefers.… kaik


die!.. kaik diè!..

Dirk in rood-driftig zweetgezicht òvergebukt naar


Guurt, wroette met z’n grove vuile handen in d’r mand,
perste driftig wat aardbei fijn tusschen z’n vingers, dat
’t sap ’m langs de polsen droop.

—Nou.. daa’s ook alles.. moar kaik.. die!.. die!.. sain


puur groene buikies.…

—Daa’s net.… f’rjenne, je knaipt hoarlie t’met tû moes!


paa’s tog op maid.. blaif d’r òf.… ikke lief dá’ nie.…

—Wá’ ’n hupla’s die hep!.. sou je nie!.. sou je nie!.…

—Seur tug nie Dirk! lá’ ’r dur gangetje!.… gromde de


Ouë van z’n bed af, bang dat Guurt er den boel bij zou
neersmijten. Elk jaar nog had ze verdraaid te plukken.
En nou, in ’n gril, gewillig deed ze mee, om wat extra
centen voor de kermis te beuren. F’rduufeld, nou
gonge de kerels ’r koejeneere, bromde ouë Gerrit.—
Dirk had naar ’m omgekeken, zonder te antwoorden,
z’n rood bevochte vuile handen, loom op z’n knieën
afhangend, z’n gezicht verzengd pal in zongepriem.
Roode vlekken dropen van z’n blauwe kiel en z’n
blond-wit haar [46]plakte op z’n stompe voorhoofd in
zweetkrul, onder de pet uit. En telkens even, in
lodderigen oogstaar, probeerde ie òp te kijken naar de
zon, maar dadelijk knipperde ie z’n oogen dicht, paf
van ’t felle gepiek dat er inboorde, voelde hij zich blind
gegooid met kokend licht. Z’n vuile broek stonk van
smeer en zweet, zurig tusschen het geurzoet. Voort
maar schoof ie weer in zwijg, niets begrijpend meer
van den Ouë, waar die pas ze toegeschreeuwd had,
vooral geen rijpe te plukken. En stiller den
werkmiddag rond, schoof ie verder, voelde ie ’t
woestijngloeiende zand onder z’n knieën schroeien en
branden, verbukte en verwisselde ie telkens van knie,
als er één, gekneusd en vergloeid, z’n zware paffe lijf
niet meer dragen kon.

—God f’rdorie, geeuwde Piet, daa’s ’n kwoaje.… die


son f’doag! main nek stoan puur in brand!.…

—Dá’ sou’k denke, je weê puur nie meer hoe je kruipe


mot …

—Debies! main knieë sain deurmidde.… aa’s ’k


katteliek waa’s lie’k main stempele! galgenhumorde
een plukker half schuin naar ’n makker, die meezong
Zondagsavond’s in de kongregatie.—

Dirk, in den winter nooit sprekend van den zwaarsten


zwoeg, morde, giftte nou, in verhitte worsteling tegen
de zon, die ’m roosterde en martelde, waartegen ie ’n
woesten haat voelde. Z’n rug stond den heelen dag in
brand, z’n nek stramde verlamd in steekpijnen van
voortdurenden buk en z’n branderige schonken
schuurden jeukerig tegen z’n vuil heet afgesjokkerd
baai goed. Guurt schreeuwde dat ie moar s’n laif d’rais
most boene, mi’ wa’ woater.…

You might also like