Find HEAL’s latest press releases from all of our air quality work here, we update this page regularly.
To read all press releases from across our activity areas please visit the resources page.
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 31/07/2017 | New rules hasten end for Europe’s dirtiest power plants |
| 31/07/2017 | National governments must not use legal loopholes to hide failure on air quality |
| 28/06/2017 | Health groups criticise government report on diesel emissions for denying health impacts |
| 15/06/2017 | How does your real-time air quality rate? |
| 01/06/2017 | Serbian Ministry of Health supports HEAL’s Unmask My City campaign |
| 03/05/2017 | Unmask my City: Anti-air pollution campaign launched in Europe |
| 28/04/2017 | EU limits permission to pollute for dirty coal |
| 21/04/2017 | Health groups call for positive vote on BREF |
| 04/04/2017 | European petition demands government action to slash toxic coal deaths |
| 23/11/2016 | HEAL supports written Declaration on Chronic Respiratory Diseases HEAL joins a coalition of European chronic respiratory patients, doctors, public health advocates and health and environmental organisations to ask MEPs to take action on chronic respiratory diseases. HEAL welcomes this declaration which includes environmental aspects as a way to increase prevention and protect health. The link to Parma Declaration and the need to improve both indoor and outdoor air pollution is also made. HEAL joins a coalition of European chronic respiratory patients, doctors, public health advocates and health and environmental organisations to ask MEPs to take action on chronic respiratory diseases. HEAL welcomes this declaration which includes environmental aspects as a way to increase prevention and protect health. The link to Parma Declaration and the need to improve both indoor and outdoor air pollution is also made. European chronic respiratory patients, together with doctors, public health advocates and health and environmental organisations, including HEAL, are asking Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to take action on chronic respiratory diseases by signing the written declaration 115/2016 on chronic respiratory diseases from 24 October 2016 to 24 January 2017. The written declaration was presented to MEPs on 23 November, with a special action in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, organised by three HEAL members, the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA), the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the European Lung Foundation (ELF). MEPs across the political spectrum took part in a free lung health check, and took action on chronic respiratory diseases by signing the declaration. Thanks to all the MEPs that have already signed. Reducing pollution included in declaration HEAL supports this declaration which presents environmental aspects as crucial to increase prevention and protect health. The declaration, which was tabled by 12 Members of the European Parliament, states: “to decrease the economic burden on national healthcare systems, and ensure a high level of protection of citizens’ health, it is necessary to increase prevention and timely and accurate diagnosis by combating known risk factors such as smoking and environmental aspects.” Chronic respiratory diseases account for more than 315,000 Europeans dying every year. Diseases such as respiratory allergy, asthma and COPD cost more than 300 EUR billion annually. Air pollution, both indoor and outdoor, has been linked to the development of these diseases, as well as to the exacerbation of the conditions of those already affected. The general goal of the declaration is in line with HEAL long-term strategic objective of having by 2020 air quality levels in line with the recommendations from the World Health Organisation. More about the initiative This initiative, launched by the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA), a HEAL member, aims to motivate MEPs to take action on chronic respiratory diseases by signing the written declaration 115/2016 on chronic respiratory diseases. The campaign is supported by nine European organisations, which together represent more than 200 national associations in Europe: • European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Association (EFA) • Cystic Fibrosis Europe (CFS) • European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) • European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP) • European Patients’ Forum (EPF) • European Respiratory Society (ERS), and its foundation European Lung Foundation (ELF) • Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) • International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) • Pulmonary Hypertension Europe (PHA) You can help us spread the word! The adoption of a written declaration is never easy. Since 2014, only nine percent of proposed written declarations have been adopted by the European Parliament. Having a large number of MEPs committed to this mission will be crucial for the success of the Written Declaration. This is why we need your help! • Take a look to see if your MEP is already a supporter. If not, in two clicks you can find your MEP at the European Parliament website • Send an email to your MEP asking to sign the written declaration 115/2016 on chronic respiratory diseases • Leave a comment in your MEP Facebook page asking to sign the written declaration 115/2016 on chronic respiratory diseases • Tweet your MEP with the #BreatheMission hashtag, asking to sign the written declaration 115/2016 on chronic respiratory diseases • Did you get a response from an MEP? Please let us know by email to ivonne@env-health.org Specific materials have developed for this campaign in all EU languages. If you wish to use them, please contact Daniela.morghenti@efanet.org Please do check out HEAL’s Facebook (@healthandenvironmentalliance) and Twitter (@HealthandEnv) accounts to stay up to date on this campaign! Please also follow EFA via Facebook (@EFAPatients) and Twitter (@EFA_Patients)! |
| 01/07/2016 | EU member states fail Europeans health in air quality agreement, says HEAL |
| 15/03/2016 | €8.5 billion in health costs from Balkan coal plants prompt call for EU policy rethink |
| 15/03/2016 | Coal’s unpaid health bill in Bosnia & Herzegovina estimated at €3.1 billion |
| 15/02/2016 | HEAL launches toolkit for a “healthy energy” future |
| 29/10/2015 | MEPs stand up for citizens’ health in air quality vote, says HEAL |
| 03/06/2015 | Clean air would promote better health in Serbia |
| 20/05/2015 | Turkey’s coal expansion plans cause alarm as health costs quantified |
| 31/03/2015 | HEAL reaction: Rankings of European cities’ actions for cleaner air |
| 23/02/2015 | Turkish doctors say cleaner air would offer major health benefits |
| 15/12/2014 | Cleaner air would offer major health benefits in the Balkans |
| 18/11/2014 | AIM calls on the EU to act on air quality |
| 06/11/2014 | Air quality research suggests major benefits for children |
| 07/10/2014 | Joint press release: Flexibility mechanism on air pollutants will undermine drive towards better regulation |
| 06/05/2014 | Info release: “Know your air for health” aims to help us breathe more easily |
| 19/02/2014 | Information release: EU decision to allow greater pollution of Polish power plants puts health of citizens at risk |
| 18/02/2014 | Information release: New patient information leaflets: Air quality and heart and lung health |
| 19/12/2013 | HEAL welcomes health objective in EU air quality strategy but regrets much else |
| 17/12/2013 | Joint press release: MEPs call for immediate release of air package |
| 09/12/2013 | How coal power plants make us sick – Romanian version of HEAL report launched today |
| 02/12/2013 | UK parliament urged to recognise health costs of coal |
| 03/07/2013 | WHO report underlines need for stronger EU action on air pollution, says HEAL |
| 07/03/2013 | Coal’s health bill reaches €43 billion a year |
| 14/12/2012 | Air pollution ranked as top health risk factor in Europe |
| 01/03/2012 | HEAL backs 10 guiding principles and call to tackle an invisible killer |
| 04/03/2011 | Research quantifies increased life and wealth from cleaner air |
| 14/07/2010 | European and International Health Organisations unite to call for European action to combat Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) |
| 02/07/2010 | European Commission delays air pollution legislation, yet again |
| 10/03/2010 | Lung health under threat from climate change and deteriorating air quality |
| 01/02/2010 | European Launch of the Year of the Lung 2010 held in Marseille |
| 25/11/2009 | Health impact of climate change recognised in EP resolution |
| 01/08/2009 | Respiratory doctors call for EU action on climate change |
