GLOWACON at the Expo Osaka 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for innovative, scalable, and non-invasive surveillance systems capable of detecting infectious threats early. Wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES) has emerged as a powerful tool to complement clinical surveillance by capturing early signals of disease circulation, oſten before individuals seek care or are tested. Recognising its growing importance, the European Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), in collaboration with the Joint Research Centre (JRC), is advancing the global uptake of WES through its flagship initiative, GLOWACON (Global Consortium for Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance for Public Health). This event at EXPO Osaka will highlight how WES contributes to early warning systems, supports informed decision-making, and strengthens global health preparedness. The event also builds on the momentum of the ongoing wastewater sampling and analysis conducted at EXPO Osaka, offering real-time examples of how WES can be implemented at high-profile public venues.