Interview with Pierre Breton, Director of Green Data 4 Health, hosted by ANSES. A doctor by training, he previously served as an adviser on “water, air, environmental health and adaptation” to the former Minister for Ecological Transition, as an advisor on “agricultural input efficiency and water quality” to the former Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, and as an advisor on “environmental health, One Health and ecological planning” to the former Minister of Health.
1/ Can you share with us a concrete application, either completed or currently underway, that illustrates the value of cross-referencing One Health data?
Yes, several very concrete examples today demonstrate the value of cross-referencing health and environmental data.
A prime example is the Somnibruit project, carried out in the Île-de-France region, which illustrates very well what the One Health approach applied to data can achieve, and which the GD4H, in conjunction with the health data platform, has supported. This project cross-referenced detailed maps of exposure to environmental noise – notably road, air and rail noise – with health data from the healthcare system, in particular reimbursements for medicines related to chronic sleep disorders. In practical terms, the study showed that of the approximately 510,000 people treated each year for chronic sleep disorders in Île-de-France, around 15,000 cases could be prevented if night-time noise levels complied with the recommended thresholds. This type of data integration therefore enables us to move from a vague perception of the problem to a precise quantification of the health impact, which is essential for guiding very concrete public policies, for example in the areas of urban planning, traffic regulation or night-time noise management.
We are also beginning to work on urban experiments, for example concerning urban heat islands. Cross-referencing detailed climate data, planning data, social vulnerability data and health data will enable us to objectively assess the health impacts of heatwaves and inform highly operational decisions regarding urban planning, greening or building adaptation.
Furthermore, a major project currently underway concerns the interoperability of PFAS data. The challenge is to better link data, particularly regarding their format, from environmental monitoring, water consumption and dietary sources, in order to strengthen exposure assessments and the decision-making capacity of public authorities. This is a classic example where the One Health approach comes into its own.
2/ What are the main challenges currently facing data collection, integration and governance?
The challenges are less technological than is often thought.
I would say there are three major challenges today.
The first is a matter of trust, which is absolutely central. Cross-referencing data, particularly where health and the environment are concerned, requires a clear, transparent and robust framework. Stakeholders must be assured that data is used in an ethical, secure and legally compliant manner. But trust also applies to institutions themselves: agencies, ministries, research bodies and public operators must agree to share their data more widely and to work in a genuinely collaborative spirit.
The second challenge is that of data interoperability. The data often already exists, but it is produced according to very different standards, formats and timeframes. The task therefore involves creating bridges between these databases, harmonising reference frameworks and enabling cross-referencing. This is a challenge that is both technical and organisational, but essential if we are to truly harness the potential of the One Health approach.
The third challenge is that of data openness and circulation throughout the entire ecosystem. This involves both encouraging the open sharing of public data, where possible and within a regulated framework, so that it can be used by researchers, universities, local authorities, associations or even companies developing solutions in the public interest. But it is also, on the other hand, about being able to mobilise and integrate data produced by these stakeholders, particularly by local authorities or certain economic actors, in order to enrich collective knowledge. The aim is therefore to build a truly shared data ecosystem, where everyone can both contribute to and benefit from the knowledge produced.
Ultimately, the issue is not merely about accumulating data, but about creating the conditions for it to be shared, understood and used collectively to support prevention and public decision-making.
3/ The One Health Summit is taking place in a few weeks’ time. In what way do you think international cooperation is useful or essential when it comes to One Health data?
International cooperation is essential, and for me the challenge is also to shift the focus of the data issue to a broader scale.
Today, the issue of data is still largely treated as a matter for experts: scientific experts, research institutions, or sometimes as an economic issue dominated by the major players in the digital sector. However, if we really want to make the most of data to prevent health and environmental risks, we need to raise this issue to a much higher political level.
Data is becoming a global strategic resource, just like energy, raw materials or food. It must therefore be subject to genuine public strategies, cooperation between states and organised international exchanges. This requires collective reflection on sharing rules, common standards, conditions of access and safeguards regarding ethics, security and equity.
This is all the more important within the framework of the One Health approach. Major contemporary health threats – whether epidemics, pollution, biodiversity loss or the effects of climate change – are by nature transnational. Understanding and anticipating them requires the ability to cross-reference data from numerous countries and multiple disciplines.
The One Health Summit is therefore an opportunity to foster a more political and collective vision of data governance, one that is not solely structured around economic interests, but which fully involves governments, scientific institutions and, ultimately, citizens.
The objective is clear: to make data a tool for prevention, knowledge and public decision-making, in order to better anticipate future health and environmental crises.
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