In the coming months, EU institutions will negotiate the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The MFF is the EU’s long-term budget, usually covering a seven-year period. It details the public spending for different areas of EU policies, including environment and climate action.
Against the backdrop of an ever-growing body of evidence on the health impacts and cost of people's exposure to pollution, HEAL is concerned that the Clean Industrial Deal misses the opportunity to set the EU on the path for swift and significant pollution reduction and disease prevention. To work for people in the EU and their health, the Clean Industrial Deal needs to be a zero pollution deal, with three principles at its core.
Opinion by HEAL Poland Director Weronika Michalak: as the urgency to act on the triple crisis - climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss - becomes increasingly clear, I hope that the Polish Presidency of the European Union, which began on 1st January this year, will set the course for decisive EU climate and environmental policies aimed at protecting people's health across Europe.
More than 40 non-governmental organisations, including HEAL, are calling on the Polish Prime Minister to enhance coordination among 12 ministries in preparing the National Energy and Climate Plan and implementing Poland's energy and climate transition.
Together with thirty non-governmental organisations, HEAL urged Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk to immediately resume Poland's successful and much needed Clean Air Programme. The programme saves an estimated 21,000 lives annually through its approach of replacing outdated heating systems and improving home insulation.
To raise awareness of the impacts of PFAS on human health, HEAL is organising a series of three webinars in October 2024, each focusing on a different health impact of PFAS. The first webinar on 10 October focuses on impacts on the immune system. The subsequent webinars will focus on cancer and the impacts of exposure in early life and pregnancy.
Press note: The Forever Lobbying Project investigation finds that the clean-up of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in Europe could cost 100 billion euros annually. Health-related costs for PFAS exposure are estimated to reach up to 84 billion euros annually. With these revelations, combined with the mounting scientific evidence on PFAS’ grave health impacts, it is clear that the European Commission must ensure a robust EU-wide PFAS restriction and come up with a plan to address these costs as part of the Clean Industrial Deal.
In a joint letter, more than 270 civil society organisations, trade unions, consumer groups, farmers organisations, civil rights groups, health and environmental organisations representing millions of citizens, call on European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen to shun deregulation and prioritise the protection of people, nature, and democracy in its decision-making processes.
As EU member states, regional and local authorities prepare to implement the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD), this briefing by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) argues that decision-makers and authorities should pay particular attention to addressing socio-economic inequalities in their clean air efforts. The swift transposition and implementation of the new rules, with strengthened administrative collaboration and the full utilisation of financial support schemes, promise significant progress towards cleaner air across Europe. Improved air quality will be beneficial to everyone and contribute to preventing health inequalities for those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
The undersigned organisations urge the REACH committee to advocate for accelerating the implementation of the restriction agenda, which is crucial for the timely phase-out of the most harmful chemicals within the EU and support the progressive industry.
HEAL recently highlighted the importance of continued EU action to reduce pollution in a panel discussion at the Brain Innovation Days. The science on how exposure to air, chemicals or pesticides pollution harms healthy brain development keeps growing: a recent review of 40 empirical studies conducted across four continents has shed light on the concerning link between outdoor air pollution and children's brain development.
HEAL in Poland welcomed the first position (in Polish) of the Public Health Council on the steps necessary to reduce the exposure of people in Poland air pollution and the effects of climate change. The Public Health Council is an advisory body to the Minister of Health. Their positioning is particularly important in the context of the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD) which entered into force on 10 December 2024.
HEAL is among a number of organisations who have written to the new Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen to offer our help and expertise in shaping policies to support a transition to fair, healthy, and sustainable food and farming systems.
While the health impacts of air pollution are well-documented in scientific studies, this factor has not been recognized in Polish medical diagnoses as a primary cause of health issues until a breakthrough case last year. As highlighted by HEAL in Poland in May 2023, an eleven-year-old boy, Maciek (name changed), suffered for most of his life from a persistent cough, shortness of breath, and frequent infections, all of which worsened during the heating season. After a prolonged struggle by Maciek’s parents to find the true cause of his health issues, a conclusive opinion was finally issued, stating: “suspected bronchial hyperreactivity/allergy due to air pollution.”
Every year, air pollution in Poland reaches its highest levels during the smog season in winter. In view of the unacceptably high health burden and health costs from poor air quality, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and health experts urge the Polish government to increase efforts to reduce pollution in the energy sector. This includes setting a swift date for phasing out coal combustion in Poland, as well as accelerating the Just Transition in the energy sector.
Leading up to the fifth and final round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty that will take place 25 November - 1 December 2024, in Busan, South Korea, HEAL together with Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe wrote to all European health ministers highlighting the urgent need to address the severe health and environmental impacts of plastics, including in the healthcare sector.
Over the past days, MEPs held confirmation hearings with Vice-President-designate Ribera, Vice-President-designate Séjourné and Commissioner-designate Hoekstra, whose complementary and mutually enabling portfolios respectively focus on “Clean, Just and Competitive Transition”, “Prosperity and Industrial Strategy” and “Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth”. HEAL was encouraged to see strong coherence among the three designates on their shared commitment to protecting health against this triple crisis.
HEAL, alongside the EDC-Free Europe coalition, is asking future EU leaders to protect health and the environment from the health-harming endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The recently published EDC-Free Europe statement ‘7 priorities to protect people and environment from harm caused by endocrine-disrupting chemicals outlines crucial steps that policymakers must take to protect public health and the environment from these harmful substances.
Yesterday, MEPs held a confirmation hearing with Commissioner-designate Várhelyi, whose portfolio includes health and animal welfare.
Yesterday, MEPs held the confirmation hearing with Commissioner-designate Roswall, whose portfolio focuses on environment, water resilience and a competitive circular economy.
