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Op-eds

There is no “safe level” of air pollution

  • 18th October 2021
Health groups call on the leaders of the Western Balkan countries to harmonize national air quality standards with the World Health Organization Global air quality guidelines. Health experts should be actively involved in these decision-making processes to ensure the timely integration of public health measures into environmental policies. Compliance with WHO recommendations brings multiple benefits – reduced incidence of chronic diseases and premature deaths, reduced overall health costs and, most importantly, better health and higher productivity of people.
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A tale of disruption: looking back at one decade of Europe’s (unkept) promises to address endocrine disrupting pesticides

  • 29th July 2021
By using the example of the ongoing assessments of five substances that have long been suspected to disrupt our thyroid function, HEAL's Natacha Cingotti and Angeliki Lyssimachou illustrate the extremely slow pace of and the related weakness in the implementation of Europe’s promises to protect people, animals and wildlife from effects associated to exposure to endocrine disruptors.
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Announcement of Belchatow coal plant closure is turning point for health

  • 10th June 2021
Therefore, the Belchatow closure announcement is a milestone for better health protection for the people in Poland and beyond, and shows that there is a growing recognition that coal cannot have a place in a healthy energy future for Poland, or elsewhere. At the same time, there’s no reason for leaning back, as  we have not reached our goal of a coal phase out in the EU by 2030 yet - a date that is scientifically proven to be needed to slow down the climate crisis.
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Worrying rows over future EU chemicals policy

  • 7th August 2020
Recent revelations on major disagreements within the European Commission about the development of the European Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability suggest that representatives of the Department General for Internal Market (DG GROW) seek to fundamentally tone down the proposals, under the pretence of economic interests and overruling preventive actions on chemicals and public health, writes Natacha Cingotti in EUObserver.
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Time to action European promises on endocrine disruptors

  • 12th March 2020
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has committed to address endocrine disruptors as part of “a cross-cutting strategy to protect citizens’ health from environmental degradation and pollution” to reach “a zero-pollution ambition”. If Europe is serious about delivering on its promises and regulating based on science, then the current evaluation of the EDC framework is a real opportunity for health, environment and our economy, writes Natacha Cingotti in the ECHA Guest Corner.
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Billige Kohle kommt der Gesundheit teuer zu stehen

  • 28th December 2018
Dass Kohle schlecht fürs Klima ist, wissen die meisten. Weniger bekannt sind die Gesundheitsbelastungen durch die Kohleverstromung. Ein neues Briefing der Health and Environment Alliance beleuchtet die gesundheitlichen Folgen der Braunkohlenutzung und plädiert für einen schnellen Ausstieg.
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Revamping buildings improves the climate, public health and social equality

  • 17th October 2018
If we combine the current quest for energy efficient buildings with an equal quest for better health and more equal societies, we have the chance to limit global warming to 1.5°C. That also means alleviating poverty, improving energy security and creating not only greener but healthier, more equal and enjoyable cities with fewer respiratory and heart diseases, better mental health and happier citizens.
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