One Health: A new definition for a sustainable and healthy future

Following a proposal made by the French and German Ministers for Foreign Affairs at the November 2020 Paris Peace Forum, 4 global partners, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Health Organization (WHO), in May 2021 established the interdisciplinary One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) (https://www.who.int/groups/one-health-high-level-expert-panel) to enhance their cross-sectoral collaboration. There is no shortage of “One Health” definitions in the published literature and among institutions and organizations. [...]an immediate priority for OHHLEP was to develop consensus around a working definition as a solid basis to support a common understanding among the panel members and the partner organizations. Key underlying principles including 1. equity between sectors and disciplines; 2. sociopolitical and multicultural parity (the doctrine that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities) and inclusion and engagement of communities and marginalized voices; 3. socioecological equilibrium that seeks a harmonious balance between human–animal–environment interaction and acknowledging the importance of biodiversity, access to sufficient natural space and resources, and the intrinsic value of all living things within the ecosystem; 4. stewardship and the responsibility of humans to change behavior and adopt sustainable solutions that recognize the importance of animal welfare and the integrity of the whole ecosystem, thus securing the well-being of current and future generations; and 5. transdisciplinarity and multisectoral collaboration, which includes all relevant disciplines, both modern and traditional forms of knowledge and a broad representative array of perspectives. PLoS Pathog 18(6): e1010537. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010537 About the Authors: One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) Wiku B. Adisasmito Affiliation: Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java, Indonesia Salama Almuhairi Affiliation: National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Casey Barton Behravesh Affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America Pépé Bilivogui Affiliation: World Health Organization, Guinea Country Office, Conakry, Guinea Salome A. Bukachi Affiliation: Institute of Anthropology, Gender and African Studies, University o