Analytical Studies
G7/G8 Environment Ministerial Meetings | Road to the 2021 Cornwall Summit
G7 Chief Veterinary Officers' meeting, May 2021 chair's summary
Virtual, May 4, 2021, published on May 21, 2021
Contents
Background
Discussion |
Details:
The UK Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), Christine Middlemiss, welcomed Chief Veterinary Officers and animal health experts from G7 partner countries, the US, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and the EU Commission, alongside delegates from guest countries, Australia and India, and the Deputy Director General of the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE), to discuss and share best practice on the role of veterinary services in terms of wildlife health. Whilst delegates from Japan were unable to attend the meeting, written contributions were received in advance.
The agenda covered key themes:
• wildlife health surveillance
• actionable intelligence sharing
• risk communication
This meeting was convened as a side event to the Climate and Environment track of the UK's G7 Presidency. [From G7 UK Presidency] |
1. Background
On May 4, 2021, during the UK G7 Presidency we welcomed Chief Veterinary Officers and experts from the USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, and EU Commission alongside delegates from guest countries Australia and India, and the OIE, to discuss veterinary services with respect to wildlife health. Although delegates from Japan were unfortunately unable to attend the meeting itself, we gratefully received contributions in advance of the meeting.
The UK set out wildlife health surveillance, effective intelligence sharing, and risk communication in participating countries as key themes for discussion, recognising their role in anticipating, preventing and mitigating the impacts of emerging and enzootic wildlife diseases to animal and public health and trade. Attendees were invited to share their best practice approaches and strengths, the objective being to learn from each other's expertise and explore joint challenges.
2. Discussion
Discussion included the following:
- Resource availability and sustainable funding was highlighted by several attendees as an overarching challenge. To target surveillance resource, the discussion expressed the utility of pursuing wildlife surveillance approaches, focussed on priority diseases, especially emerging diseases and those of zoonotic potential, in line with defined risk management objectives.
- Representatives promoted the development, strengthening and utilisation of existing structures (at all levels) to enable more cost-effective development of wildlife capabilities and avoid duplication. In this regard, there was an acknowledgement that new technology can be utilised to improve wildlife surveillance and actionable intelligence approaches.
- The advantages of a One Health approach, bringing together interdisciplinary expertise and policies, including stakeholders from public health, animal health, ecology and biodiversity, to prevent siloed working and avoid duplication, were highlighted throughout the discussion. Challenges around productively engaging all stakeholders can be mitigated by encouraging greater trust and pursuing partnerships that benefit all parties. Further, it was noted that to address data quality concerns it would be beneficial to set international standards.
- Attendees indicated a need to identify and remove potential barriers to enable better uptake of intelligence systems for wildlife disease. Encouraging further trust and collaboration amongst international partners would be beneficial to develop closer co-operation, intelligence sharing and co-ordinated action.
- There was agreement that risk communication benefits from a clear and targeted stakeholder approach to promote effective action. Discussion demonstrated the value in improving biosecurity communication with stakeholders at every level, leading to the mitigation of risks for disease transmission between wildlife, livestock and human and encouraging better practices on the ground.
- The G7 CVO discussion identified several effective approaches, common challenges and possible future developments for veterinary services' wildlife health capabilities. This draws out clear themes on resourcing, targeted approaches, development, collaboration, and effective communication. Recognising the value of such discussions to international discourse and cooperation, G7 CVOs and guests will continue to explore the development of veterinary services within their own country with respect to their ambitions regarding wildlife health, international trade, and Global Health Security.
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Source: Official Website of the 2021 UK Presidency of the G7
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