Health and Environment Alliance | Health & Diseases

Survey shows almost 50% of Belgians are unaware of health-harming endocrine disrupting chemicals in daily lives

19th November 2020

Results from a new survey published by the Belgian Independent Health Insurance Funds (Mutualités Libres / Onafhankelijke Ziekenfondsen) reveal nearly half of Belgian citizens have little knowledge of what endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are and how they can impact our health.

An ambitious implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans to prevent ill-health and move towards zero pollution

9th November 2020

As leaders are gathering in Sofia this week for the next meeting in the Berlin process, HEAL urges them ambitiously implement the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans to prevent ill-health and move towards zero pollution.

Beat pollution – prevent disease

27th October 2020

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) is the leading European not-for-profit organisation addressing how the natural and built environment affects health in the European Union. HEAL welcomes the priority that…

Turning the plastic tide: New HEAL report puts the spotlight on how chemicals in plastic are putting our health at risk

9th September 2020

Today the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) releases the primer 'Turning the Plastic Tide', unwrapping the story behind the chemicals in plastic that put our health at risk.

FIGO, UCSF and HEAL share 10 tips to avoid toxic chemicals during and after pregnancy

27th July 2020

The Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the University of California – San Francisco (UCSF) and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) have launched easy-to-use infographics for obstetricians, gynecologists and health groups to create awareness around toxic chemicals and pregnancy in a one-week social media campaign.

Strengthening Turkish health sector engagement on climate and environmental policies

5th June 2020

New EU-financed project aims to build the capacity of the Turkish health sector on communications and advocacy for better health protection Studies regarding the impact of climate change and the…

Over 40 million health professionals urge G20 leaders to ensure a Healthy Recovery

26th May 2020

On May 26, 2020, over 350 organisations representing over 40 million health professionals and over 4,500 individual health professionals from 90 different countries, wrote to the G20 leaders calling for…

HEAL and European Cancer Leagues launch infographic illustrating how Europe can prevent cancer by tackling environmental pollutants

25th May 2020

To mark the start of the European Week Against Cancer 2020, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the European Cancer Leagues (ECL) have teamed up to launch an infographic telling the story behind environmental cancer prevention.

Moment of truth for EU as over one million people and 100 NGOs call for green, healthy and just recovery

14th May 2020

Over one million people and 100 environmental NGOs across Europe are calling on the European Union to restart its economy by launching the biggest green investment plan the world has…

A healthy, green and just response to the COVID-19 crisis in the Western Balkans

6th May 2020

The Western Balkan countries are faced with an unprecedented crisis, and the magnitude of public health consequences of COVID-19 are and will be costing the Balkan region dearly. The World…

HEAL asking for environmental health protection and evidence-based disease prevention at the heart of EU’s COVID-19 recovery

29th April 2020

Today the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) wrote to Presidents Michel and Von der Leyen to ask that environmental health protection and evidence based disease prevention are put at the…

Executive Vice-President Timmermans’ reply to HEAL’s letter on zero pollution and health protection

23rd April 2020

Executive Vice-President Timmermans' reply to HEAL's letter on zero pollution and health protection

Joint letter: Greening state aid as part of the Commission’s Green Recovery Strategy

22nd April 2020

HEAL together with the other Green 10 organisations has sent a letter to Commission President Von der Leyen as well as on greening state aid as part of the European…

For a Europe that cares for all – during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

22nd April 2020

Solidarity must be the bedrock of Europe’s response to this crisis: to fighting the pandemic and protecting all people, to managing the social and economic consequences, and to defending democracy. Solidarity goes beyond borders and should not be limited to European Union countries.

Environmental health priorities for Croatia’s presidency of the Council of the European Union

17th January 2020

Croatia holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2020. In a letter to Croatia's prime minister Andrej Plenkovic, HEAL shared its priorities on how we consider the Presidency can help advance the protection of health from environment and climate threats in the next months, particularly regarding the EU Green Deal proposal.

The European Green Deal identifies right areas for action but more urgency needed to meet zero pollution ambition and benefit health

11th December 2019

Today, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal plan that sets out many environmental health issues, where the European Union policies such as climate, air or chemicals, can help deliver a zero pollution objective and better health protection for all. However, to achieve the transformational, systemic change needed to address the magnitude of the challenges the world is facing today, the timeline and scope of the European Green Deal will have to better reflect the evidence which clearly makes the case for more urgent action.

HEAL welcomes the 10 commitments from Frans Timmermans, Virginijus Sinkevičius and Stella Kyriakides to act for a healthy planet for healthy people

10th October 2019

After European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen had unveiled who will join her team during her administration, the newly-elected members of the European Parliament had a chance to test these confirmed nominees during committee hearings. So how did the European Green Deal Executive Vice-President designate, the Environment and Oceans Commissioner-designate and the Health Commissioner-designate perform and what did they commit to as a team?

First-ever Plastic Health Summit to present preliminary results of ground-breaking research by ZonMw

1st October 2019

What health risks do micro- and nanoplastics pose to the human body? The Plastic Health Summit, taking place October 3rd, brings scientists, influencers and industry from all over the world together and presents the preliminary results of ground-breaking research by ZonMw.

HEAL questions for European Parliament hearings – Legislature 2019-2024

19th September 2019

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) prepared a dedicated set of questions to test three of the Commissioners-designates on their commitment to act for a healthy planet for healthy people.

Why the European Parliament should reject the Commission proposed “One in, one out” principle

17th September 2019

The Green 10 is firmly against the introduction of a “One in, one out” principle for new legislation, as planned by European Commission President-Elect Ursula von der Leyen. The proposed principle calls for any new initiative that creates a burden to be compensated by relieving an equivalent existing burden in the same policy area.