Health and Environment Alliance | Air Quality

UBD Policy project continues science to policy consultation with workshop in Zagreb

20th February 2024

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) recently hosted yesterday a half day science to policy consultation workshop with representatives of the Zagreb administration and other stakeholders, on how to reduce the urban burden of disease in Zagreb through environmental policies. This consultation workshop was the second in a series of stakeholder engagement activities in various cities in Europe.

The Polish government is in a key position to ensure an ambitious EU Air Quality Directive

20th February 2024

The EU has a unique public health opportunity with the current revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive, and the newly elected Polish government can help ensure this. Watering the law’s ambition down with delays and exemptions would be a major, unacceptable setback for people in Poland - one of the countries with the highest economic burden to health from air pollution in the EU.

National health groups’ letters to ministers for an ambitious Ambient Air Quality Directive

19th February 2024

As the Ambient Air Quality Directive revision negotiations are ramping up ahead of the final trilogue tomorrow (20 February) health experts from across the EU, including from France, Belgium, Germany, Bulgaria, Italy and Spain, have sent letters to their national ministers, warning decision makers about the potential impacts of exemptions and delays.

Press note: Health groups from across the EU call for ambitious air quality law

19th February 2024

As the Ambient Air Quality Directive revision negotiations are ramping up ahead of the final trilogue on 20 February 2024 health experts from across the EU, including from Germany, Poland, Italy, France and Spain, warn decision makers about the potential impacts of exemptions and delays.

Press note: Health groups warn of delays and inequalities in updating EU clean air standards

7th February 2024

The Ambient Air Quality Directive revision negotiations must urgently be concluded ahead of the EU elections this June. As trilogue negotiations continue, the Council has included the potential for decade-long exemptions from adhering to the legally binding air pollution limit values, based on countries’ GDP compared to EU average.

Scientists show delay to air quality rules could cost an extra 327,600 lives

1st February 2024

A group of health scientists has today published a scientific commentary which shows the significant consequences that postponing deadlines to achieve new EU air quality objectives would have for Europeans’ health.

Swift, coherent and more ambitious action by EU Member States needed to address the climate, environment challenges for better health for all

25th January 2024

HEAL responded to the public consultation by the European Commission on the mid-term review of the 8th Environment Action Programme (8 EAP).

Advancing on a coal phase out for better health in Turkey

10th January 2024

In only a couple of years, public and decision-makers' attention has increased on the health burden from environmental, climate threats and the opportunities for disease prevention through protective policies. HEAL…

Letter to German environment minister: more action to improve air quality in Germany

15th December 2023

The German Climate and Health Alliance (KLUG) and HEAL have sent a joint letter to the environment minister of Germany Lemke, calling for more action to improve air quality, instead of exemptions and delays.

UBD Policy project holds science to policy consultation workshop on urban burden disease reduction in Brussels

15th December 2023

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) recently hosted a half day science to policy consultation workshop with representatives of the Brussels administration and other stakeholders, on how to reduce the urban burden of disease in Brussels through environmental policies. This consultation workshop was the first in a series of stakeholder engagement activities in various cities in Europe.

Polish civil society groups call for ambitious action on EU clean air standards revision to protect health, the environment and the economy

14th December 2023

In a letter supported by dozens of Polish health and environment groups, HEAL calls on the newly elected Polish government to accelerate action against air pollution to protect health.

Letter: Health groups coalition calls on EU environment ministers to accelerate action for clean air for health

12th December 2023

Health groups have sent a joint letter to EU environment ministers, calling to accelerate action for clean air for health, instead of delaying.

Infographic: What is nitrogen dioxide and how does exposure to it affect your health?

23rd November 2023

The new HEAL infographic in English and Polish outlines the most important facts about nitrogen dioxide and its impact on health and highlights what actions should be taken to protect people the pollutant.

Webinar – Ambient Air Quality EU Directive: A public health need

21st November 2023

Salud por Derecho, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Ecologistas en Acción, IS Global and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) organise a webinar entitled "Ambient Air Quality EU Directive: A public health need". More...

Advancing on clean air everywhere, for everyone, as negotiations on EU clean air law (AAQD) can start

9th November 2023

Health groups welcome today’s adoption of the Council negotiating mandate for the Ambient Air Quality Directive revision under the Spanish EU Presidency, as the right next step, as it means trilogue negotiations on clean air for health can start and be concluded before the 2024 EU elections.

Presseinformation: 8. November 2023 – EU Mitgliedstaaten vor wichtiger Entscheidung zu Luftqualität und Gesundheitsschutz

7th November 2023

Die Abstimmung über die Verhandlungsposition der EU-Mitgliedsstaaten ist für diese Woche Mittwoch im Ausschuss der Ständigen Vertreter (COREPER) vorgesehen. Erst wenn die EU-Mitgliedsstaten ihre Verhandlungsposition festgelegt haben, können die sogenannten Trilogverhandlungen zwischen Mitgliedstaaten, Europaparlament und EU-Kommission beginnen und der Zeitplan für die Novellierung gehalten werden, damit die Revision der Richtlinie bis vor den Europawahlen abgeschlossen ist.

Letter to Chancellor of Germany calling for support for clean air

6th November 2023

HEAL and the German Climate and Health Alliance (Deutsche Allianz Klimawandel und Gesundheit, KLUG) have sent a letter to the Chancellor of Germany, calling for support of strict clean air standards, to prevent disease and lower health costs.

Health organisations urge EU member states to adopt their clean air negotiating position

6th November 2023

In view of ongoing deliberations on the revision of the EU’s Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD), health organisations representing the European health sector, including medical doctors, healthcare professionals, patient organisations and health insurance funds, urge member states to act on the unacceptably high health burden from air pollution and to adopt a negotiating position this week, so that the AAQD trilogues can start, and the revision process can be concluded before the 2024 EU elections

Webinar (recordings): Reducing the urban burden of disease: from science to policy action

3rd November 2023

On #WorldCitiesDay 2023, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) held a special webinar on the latest evidence on how people’s health in cities is affected by air pollution, noise, lack of green space, climate change, and inequalities, and how policy makers can respond to these health threats. The recordings in English, German and Polish are now online.

Joint letter to German environment minister calling for more ambition on clean air

30th October 2023

The German Medical Association (Bundesärztekammer), the German Climate and Health Alliance (Deutsche Allianz Klimawandel und Gesundheit (KLUG)) and HEAL have sent a letter to German environment minister Steffi Lemke regarding the revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD). The organisations call on the minister to improve the European Commission's proposal, by upping the ambition of the legislation...