WHO has adopted a two-track approach regarding its contributions to the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Track one focuses on the overall, long-term benefits for social, economic, and environmental development that result from investment in people's health. Track two reflects the health aspects of specific issues on the Summit agenda.
Key emphases include:
- The positive impact of health both as a good in its own right and as a means of advancing economic development and poverty reduction.
- The direct impact of environmental degradation and unsustainable use of natural resources on people's health, as well as the indirect impact on the livelihoods (and, therefore, health) of the poor. The need to assess the impact on people's health of development policies and practices.
- The importance of partnerships and alliances as a means of addressing threats to health and promoting sustainable development.