Greening cities for better health: new UBDPolicy brief
Greening cities for better health 75% of the EU population lives in cities, yet most cities were built as compact areas with a high population density and few green spaces…
New briefing: External costs of climate change and air pollution in Poland
Climate change, environmental pollution and biodiversity loss affect people’s health and generate multi-billion-euro economic losses, as a briefing produced by HEAL Poland under the patronage of the Institute of Water Economy and Meteorology of the National Research Institute and the Polish Federation of Asthma, Allergy, and COPD Patients Associations highlights.
New policy brief on the health benefits of low emission zones in Brussels and Antwerp
A new policy brief, co-published by HEAL and the Independent Health Insurance Funds (Mutualités Libres), shows that the Belgian LEZs in Brussels and Antwerp have led to tangible air quality improvements in a period of only five years. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution was reduced by 30% in Antwerp and 37% in Brussels.
Briefing: How clean air action can help address socio-economic health inequalities
As EU member states, regional and local authorities prepare to implement the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD), this briefing by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) argues that decision-makers and authorities should pay particular attention to addressing socio-economic inequalities in their clean air efforts. The swift transposition and implementation of the new rules, with strengthened administrative collaboration and the full utilisation of financial support schemes, promise significant progress towards cleaner air across Europe. Improved air quality will be beneficial to everyone and contribute to preventing health inequalities for those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
New briefing on swift, health-based implementation of the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive
Science has a crucial role to play in the implementation of the revised EU clean air law, according to a new briefing by the METEOR research cluster. The briefing showcases how the projects in this EU funded research cluster can help support policymakers in the design of clean air measures and help in evaluating those which are most beneficial to health.
Science review: The health impacts of nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
A new science review commissioned by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) shows the significant impact of the air pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on health.
Health benefits of a Green Deal approach in Turkey
A new briefing by HEAL (in English and in Turkish), as part of the EU funded CISIP project, underlines the many health benefits that could be gained if Turkish decision-makers implemented stronger Green Deal action. Turkey’s Green Deal Action Plan, launched in 2021, sets 32 objectives and 81 actions, including on a Green and Circular Economy, secure energy supply and sustainable agriculture. However, contrary to the EU Green Deal which was adopted in 2019, the Turkish plan doesn’t set any tangible targets or deadlines.
Health threats of short-term winter smog in Poland
Today, HEAL Poland has published an analysis of particulate matter air pollution in Poland during the 2022/23 heating season, and the associated health impacts of short-term exposure to air pollution…
Toolkit (EN, IT, DE): Advocating for clean air – how to communicate the science
HEAL has produced a science to policy communications toolkit for fellow NGOs and anyone working on clean air advocacy.
Recommendations from the Turkish health sector on improving air quality
Turkey is a country with a high burden of disease from air pollution. Poor air quality is the leading environmental risk factor for premature death in the country (and also…
Health experts demand more attention and action on the public health threat of wood burning in the Western Balkans
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) has today launched a briefing exploring the public health threat of wood-burning in the Western Balkans, as a major contributor to air pollution in the region. The briefing presents evidence-based arguments on wood burning and scientific data to support decision-making, as the Western Balkans and the EU shift to a carbon-neutral and healthy future.
Toolkit on ‘Communicating on air quality and health’
In spite of the work carried out by the EU institutions, the Member States, many cities and grassroot movements in Europe, the general public is still not engaging enough in…
Healthy buildings, healthier people
Buildings: They shape our health and well being on a daily basis regardless of whether we talk about homes, schools, workplaces, health care facilities, universities, shopping centers, or those used…
