HEAL’s work in the Balkan region focuses on air pollution, climate change, and coal power’s contribution to health damages. We work with the main health actors such as Public Health Institutes, Ministries of Health, health organisations, and grassroots initiatives working towards clean air.
We also run the Unmask My City campaign in the region, continuously raise awareness on the health toll caused by fossil fuel energy and call for fair, efficient and sustainable energy systems that will cut down air pollution and energy poverty in the region.
Contact person:
Vlatka Matkovic Puljic, vlatka@env-health.org, +32 (0)2 234 36 46
Press release: EU action on Western Balkans’ chronic coal pollution is a unique opportunity to improve health and productivity
18th February 2019
Sixteen outdated coal power plants in the Western Balkans are a public health and economic liability for the whole of Europe, with people in the EU bearing the majority of the health impacts and costs, according to a new report by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Sandbag, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, CEE Bankwatch Network and Europe Beyond Coal. The European Union (EU) needs to use all of the tools available to improve health, prolong lives, save health costs and increase productivity both in the EU and in the Western Balkan region.
Invite: press briefing on new report – ‘Chronic Coal Pollution – EU Action on the Western Balkans will improve health and economies across Europe’
13th February 2019
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and CEE Bankwatch invite…
Coal phase out for health overdue
10th December 2018
A new briefing by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) (also available in German and and Turkish) demonstrates that 50% of the global lignite mining and use is taking place in Europe. Lignite coal – also called brown coal – is a form of coal that is highly inefficient and polluting. Assessing lignite and hard coal over their life cycles shows that lignite is the most health harming form of coal and should be abolished as soon as possible.
Health groups call for greater EU leadership in tackling climate change
29th November 2018
New research published in The Lancet medical journal today shows that emissions, climate change and rising temperatures are already exposing people everywhere to an unacceptably high health risk. The independent, interdisciplinary research collaboration Lancet Countdown identified that last year globally, 157 million more vulnerable people were subjected to a heatwave than in 2000.
