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Elena S. Craft,^1,2 Kirby C. Donnelly,³ Iulia Neamtiu,⁴ Kathleen M. McCarty,⁵ Erica Bruce,⁶ Irina Surkova,⁷ David Kim,⁸ Iveta Uhnakova,⁹ Erika Gyorffy,¹⁰ Eva Tesarova,¹¹ and Beth Anderson¹²

¹Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA; ²Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA; ³Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA; ⁴Environmental Health Center, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County, Romania; ⁵Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; ⁶Department of Civil Engineering, Environmental and Water Resources Division, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA; ⁷Department of Medical Genetics, Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy, Moscow, Russia; ⁸Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; ⁹Department of Environmental Medicine, Research Base of the Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia; ¹⁰National Institute of Environmental Health, Fodor Jozsef National Center for Public Health, Budapest, Hungary; ¹¹Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; ¹²National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

Abstract
Background: As the next generation of scientists enters the field of environmental health, it is imperative that they view their contributions in the context of global environmental stewardship. In this commentary, a group of international graduate students facilitated by three experienced environmental health scientists present their views on what they consider to be the global environmental health concerns of today. This group convened initially in October 2004 at an international health conference in Prague, Czech Republic.

Objectives: In this report we identify perceived environmental health concerns that exist around the world, with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe. Additionally, we address these perceived problems and offers some potential solutions.

Discussion: At the meeting, students were invited to participate in two panel discussions. One group of young international scientists identified several significant global environmental health concerns, including air pollution, occupational hazards, and risk factors that may exacerbate current environmental health issues. The second panel determined that communication, education, and regulation were the mechanisms for addressing current environmental challenges.

Conclusions: In this commentary we expand on the views presented at the meeting and represent the concerns of young investigators from nine different countries. We provide ideas about and support the exchange of information between developed and developing countries on how to handle the environmental health challenges that face the world today.

Key words: Eastern Europe, environmental health, environmental pollutants, international health concerns. Environ Health Perspect 114:1813–1817 (2006) . doi:10.1289/ehp.9300 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 18 August 2006]

Address correspondence to E.S. Craft, 3420 Executive Center Dr., Austin, TX 78731 USA. Telephone: (512) 338-9000. E-mail: esc5@duke.edu

The authors thank the other student panelists: J. Labaj, K. Merritt, D. Teterja, S. Svidova, J. Janosedk and P. Dimitriou-Christidis. We also recognize the contributions of A. Paldy. We greatly appreciate J. Meyer and D. Spencer's thoughtful suggestions enhancing the manuscript.

The authors declare they have no competing financial interests.

Received 28 April 2006 ; accepted 17 August 2006.