From the “silent pandemic” of antimicrobial resistance to the link between climate and health, up to the sustainability of the National Health Service: a multidisciplinary working day at the Chamber of Deputies to address interconnected challenges
Abstract: The “One Planet, One Health” event, held on November 28, 2025 at the Chamber of Deputies, brought together institutions, the scientific community, industry, and civil society to discuss the challenges linking health, environment, and sustainability through the One Health approach. Promoted by the Parliamentary One Health Intergroup, the meeting highlighted the need for an integrated strategy capable of overcoming the fragmentation of public policies and addressing interconnected phenomena such as antimicrobial resistance, climate change, ecosystem degradation, the sustainability of the National Health Service, and the rise of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. The four thematic roundtables emphasized the urgency of stronger surveillance systems, increased research investment, innovative environmental monitoring tools, and sustainable health models based on prevention, innovation, and public–private partnerships. The event reaffirmed the importance of shared political and scientific commitment, stressing that human health depends on the health of ecosystems and the socioeconomic systems that sustain them.
Keywords: #OneHealth #OnePlanetOneHealth #HealthEnvironmentSociety #GlobalHealth #Sustainability #Transdisciplinarity #IntegratedApproach #PolicyMaking #HealthInnovation #EnvironmentalGovernance #Health #PublicHealth #Politics #ChamberOfDeputies #MichelaToussan #EthicaSocietas #EthicaSocietasJournal #ScientificJournal #SocialSciences #ethicasocietasupli
Michela Toussan, Ph.D. in Industrial and Management Engineering and serves as a senior-level official at the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital. Her work focuses on the development of organizational models for public administration, internal process control, and strategic planning, with particular attention to multilevel governance and the management of complex procedures. She developed the A-RIES model for evaluating cultural heritage regeneration projects and has published contributions on administrative innovation, public policies, and territorial management systems. LinkedIn profile.
One Planet, One Health: A Day at the Chamber Dedicated to the Challenges Connecting Health, Environment, and Sustainability
On 28 November 2025, the event “One Planet, One Health” was held at the Chamber of Deputies, bringing together institutions, the scientific community, and representatives from industry to discuss health, environment, and sustainability through an integrated perspective.
The initiative was promoted by the Parliamentary One Health Intergroup, led by Hon. Luciano Ciocchetti, Vice-President of the XII Social Affairs Committee of the Chamber, and Hon. Ylenja Lucaselli, President of the Board of Appeal of Montecitorio. In recent years, the two parliamentarians have significantly accelerated the spread of the One Health approach within national policies, convinced that only a unified strategy can address increasingly interconnected health and environmental challenges.
What is the Intergroup and Why One Health Is Now Essential
The Parliamentary One Health Intergroup was established with the aim of creating a stable forum for dialogue among Parliament, Ministries, the scientific community, civic associations, and industry. It is not a formal or legislative body, but rather a political and technical coordination platform designed to study, propose, and support policies concerning human health, animal health, and ecosystem protection.
The One Health model, central to the Intergroup’s work, is a holistic approach that views health as the outcome of interactions among humans, animals, and the environment. Climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, emerging zoonoses, and rising antimicrobial resistance demonstrate that diseases can no longer be interpreted in isolation.
As the Intergroup’s statement notes, it is essential to “overcome the fragmented approach that still characterizes public policies today” and adopt a vision capable of uniting expertise and responsibilities, grounded in scientific evidence and data interoperability.
A Day of Multidisciplinary Dialogue
The 28 November event fits into this broader effort, offering a day of reflection and dialogue divided into several sessions. After the institutional opening by the promoters, the late morning featured a keynote speech by the President of the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), followed by four roundtables dedicated to the main pillars of the One Health paradigm.
The Silent Pandemic of Antimicrobial Resistance
The first session focused on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), described in official documents as a “silent pandemic.” It is now a global threat: according to data reported in the white paper Oltre la Resistenza, resistant infections cause more than 35,000 deaths per year in the EU/EEA, with Italy among the most affected countries.
Experts from the European Union, academics, and representatives from AIFA and the Ministry of Health stressed the importance of robust surveillance systems, the appropriate use of antibiotics, investment in research, and new incentive mechanisms for developing innovative antimicrobials. The crucial role of prevention—especially within hospitals—was also highlighted.
Environment and Health: One Single Challenge
The second roundtable explored the relationship between environment and health, a topic examined in the First Report on Environment and Health drafted by the Intergroup’s technical task force. Contributions from scientists and national authorities outlined a clear picture: rising temperatures, air pollution, shrinking biodiversity, and ecosystem degradation are already generating significant health impacts, especially in urban areas.
Innovative tools were presented, such as satellite data from the Copernicus program, useful for monitoring ecosystem quality, and the concept of natural capital, which promotes assessing ecosystems in physical, economic, and public health terms.
The Sustainability of the National Health Service
Another central moment of the day focused on the sustainability of the National Health Service (SSN). The burden of chronic diseases, an aging population, and rising healthcare costs require new strategies integrating prevention, innovation, and efficient resource management.
Representatives from industry and civil society stressed the need to make access to medicines more sustainable while also strengthening research and public–private partnerships. In this perspective, the One Health approach becomes a cross-cutting framework for designing more resilient and balanced health policies.
Obesity and Diabetes: A Multidimensional Challenge
The final roundtable addressed obesity, one of the conditions with the greatest clinical and social impact today. Experts emphasized the need for a multidimensional approach combining nutritional education, promotion of active lifestyles, early prevention, and updating the Essential Levels of Care (LEA).
It was underscored that obesity and diabetes are closely linked not only to individual behaviors but also to the environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts in which people live.
A Shared Political and Scientific Commitment
The day concluded with the awarding of the BEST in D&I + BEST in ESG program, dedicated to the best practices in inclusion, sustainability, and social responsibility.
The work of the Intergroup and the open discussion throughout the event reinforced a clear message: the future of health requires a shared vision capable of uniting science, institutions, and civil society. Only by recognizing the interdependence between people, the environment, and production systems will it be possible to address the challenges the coming years will bring.
LATEST CONTRIBUTION OF THE SAME AUTHOR
DIFFERENTIATED AUTONOMY: POLITICS, INSTITUTIONS AND GOVERNANCE IN THE NEW STATE–REGION BALANCE
LATEST 5 CONTRIBUTIONS
FROM WESTERN CANCEL CULTURE TO JIHADIST CANCEL CULTURE
“PEACE CANNOT BE BARTERED”: A CONVERSATION WITH UN MINISTER ALBERTO FLORES HERNÁNDEZ
IN THE FOLDS OF TIME: GUINEA-BISSAU AND SUDAN IN THE NIGHT THAT NEVER ENDS
NOVEMBER 25: THE FIGHT AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IS STILL OPEN
NOVEMBER 25 WHAT MUST BE CHANGED IMMEDIATELY, INCLUDING FOR THE LOCAL POLICE
Ethica Societas is a free, non-profit review published by a social cooperative non.profit organization
Copyright Ethica Societas, Human&Social Science Review © 2025 by Ethica Societas UPLI onlus.
ISSN 2785-602X. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0