UNEP's Executive Director, Mr. Klaus Toepfer and Dr. Gro Harlem
Brundtland, Director- General of WHO signed the MOU in Arendal,
Norway on 23 August 1999. The MOU between the two sister
organizations cements their already long-standing cooperation
through a series of joint efforts in the field of monitoring and
assessment of air, water and food contamination by physical,
chemical and biological agents; environmentally sound management
of chemicals; and environmental and health impacts of global
environmental change. Currently, infectious diseases cause
approximately 37 per cent of all deaths worldwide. Additionally,
it has been calculated that an estimated 40 per cent of deaths
can be attributed to various environmental factors, especially
organic and chemical pollutants. 1.3 billion humans live in
absolute poverty and 2.5 million infants and children die each
year from diarrhoea which is caused by contaminated water and
food. Klaus Toepfer said that "the partnership between the two
bodies dealing with increas