The Health and Environment Alliance alongside the NGOs Chemsec, ClientEarth, Ecologistas en Acción and the European Environmental Bureau have provided analysis and recommendations as a response to the European Commission's call for written input in the context of the recent 'Reality Check Workshop' proposal for simplification of the CLP Regulation.
HEAL’s input into the EU initiative on Cities – a new policy agenda highlights the absence of the health dimension in most existing EU urban initiatives on sustainability and climate and urges for the setup of an EU urban health platform. The new urban agenda should also include providing financing to better protect residents from environmental, climate stressors under the next EU budget (MFF).
Environment and climate stressors – air, noise, chemicals pollution; heat; lack of urban green space – are major determinants of city residents’ health. Health impacts include premature mortality, increased risk of cancers, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, heat stress, as well as mental health impacts.
The health of vulnerable groups in cities, including pregnant women, children, those already sick, the elderly, those experiencing socio-economic inequalities is particularly at risk from climate and environmental stressors.
Health and well-being considerations, evidence, indicators and monitoring, as well as the definition of protection and prevention goals should be an essential part of the EU Cities – new policy agenda. Key suggestions include setting up an EU urban health platform, financing to better protect residents from environmental and climate stressors under the next EU budget (MFF) and fostering inter-sectoral / inter-departmental collaboration at city, regional, national and EU level.
An inclusive and consultative approach with urban level civil society organisations and city residents as should be ensured, to help increase the support for the implementation of EU environmental and climate policies at the urban level. A clear mechanism should be set up for the uptake of new research in urban decision-makig, including evidence from EU funded research projects such as UBDPolicy, to which HEAL is a partner.
Click here to read the full HEAL submission into the EU initiative on Cities – a new policy agenda
More information:
