One Health, one vision: advancing Europe's health security

On 3 February 2026, "One Health, One Vision: Advancing Europe's Health Security" conference at the European Parliament brought together diverse stakeholders to advance the case for a comprehensive European One Health Strategy, encompassing human health, animal health and nature protection. 

IUCN underscored that nature is foundational - not peripheral - to achieving One Health objectives. The health of ecosystems and the preservation of biodiversity are preconditions for One Health. 

Ecosystem degradation, habitat loss, and disrupted wildlife-human interfaces are primary drivers of zoonotic disease emergence. This is why coherent EU nature policy, particularly the EU Nature Directives and Nature Restoration Regulation, is essential for One Health. Protecting species and habitat diversity and restoring degraded ecosystems are health security investments.

However, policy coherence alone is insufficient without adequate financing. The upcoming EU Multiannual Financial Framework and Common Agricultural Policy need to mainstream One Health principles and provide dedicated funding streams for integrated approaches to the protection and management of natural resources.  Sectoral fragmentation weakens our collective capacity for prevention, surveillance, preparedness and response.

IUCN's resolution 'Advancing the One Health approach for biodiversity' adopted at the 2025 World Conservation Congress, alongside IUCN's 20-year Vision provide robust frameworks for IUCN to engage and ensure that nature considerations are central to One Health policymaking and action in the EU and globally.