The EU’s proposed 2040 climate target to reduce domestic emissions by 90% - while allowing up to 3% to be met through international carbon credits – risks undermining health protections. The Health and Environment Alliance calls on member states to strengthen their climate commitments in order to protect health, rather than delay and weaken overdue action.
The May 2025 vote on the European Parliament’s priorities for the next EU long-term budget (Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034) included many important health considerations, including on financing for measures to prevent climate change and biodiversity loss. Unfortunately, MEPs failed to include financing to address pollution and the related health impacts. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) calls on earmarking at least 10% of the next EU budget for zero pollution objectives across various funding instruments.
Press note: HEAL calls on the European Parliament to maintain health within the scope of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
Press note: The Lancet Europe Countdown report on health and climate change 2024 indicates European governments have not successfully protected their citizens from the health impacts of climate change.
As the Polish government is about to launch its update on its 2040 Energy Strategy (PEP), part three of HEAL’s ‘Curing Chronic Coal’ series, published today, shows that the earlier Poland phases out coal power, the greater the health benefits and saved health costs to society will be.
A new report by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) now highlights that phasing out coal power in Turkey earlier (by 2030) rather than later (by 2050) would produce tremendous…
A new report by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), published today, shows that phasing out coal power in the Western Balkan region by 2030 instead of 2050 will bring a…
First of its kind analysis on the health harm of burning fossil gas shows that in 2019 alone, burning fossil gas for power (and heat) generation caused over 2,800 premature deaths from…
HEAL’s new analysis on “Chronic coal pollution Turkey: Cumulative health effects” highlights that the country’s decades-long dependency on coal power generation has led to unacceptably high health impacts and costs.
European climate, environmental and health NGOs have sent an open letter to the European Commission urging it to ensure that bloc-wide guidelines on energy subsidies do not allow taxpayers’ money…
Sixteen leading European civil society organisations [1] have announced they will no longer accept invitations to speak at media events on EU policy sponsored by fossil fuel companies, in an…
Bundesregierung legt unambitionierte Grenzwerte für Kohlekraftwerke fest, die zu über 18.000 vorzeitigen Todesfällen führen werden. Fast die Hälfte davon entfallen auf nur 3 Braunkohlekraftwerke Neurath, Lippendorf und Boxberg· Umwelt- und…
Today, the Commission published its Zero Pollution Action Plan for air, water and soils (ZPAP). Anne Stauffer, Director for Strategy and Campaigns at HEAL commented: “The European Commission today has…
• Entwurf der Bundesregierung setzt Grenzwerte für Ausstoß von Schadstoffen von Kohlekraftwerken (unter anderem für Quecksilber, Stickstoff, Schwefeloxide, Feinstaub) zu hoch an und ist damit absolut unzureichend, um Menschen und…
Turkey is pushing ahead with plans to double its coal power capacity with 30 new coal power stations despite major health impacts and costs linked to the country’s existing coal…
Brussels - The Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) currently excludes limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), making it unfit to support the EU's moves to address climate…
The upcoming finalisation of the Just Transition Fund will set the financial framework on how European regions will execute the much needed transition to carbon-neutral economies. Decades of fossil fuel…
Responding to the converging climate and COVID-19 crises can deliver a triple win: better public health, a sustainable economy and environmental protection. Climate action can ensure cleaner air, healthier diets,…
In her first State of the Union speech, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today proposed upping the EU’s 2030 target for GHG emission reductions from the current -40%…
Today, the European Parliament has adopted its position on the 17.5 billion EUR Just Transition Fund. HEAL, together with 64 other organisations, has been advocating to exclude fossil gas from…
