Air Quality and Air Pollution

[Report] The Unpaid Health Bill - how is coal pollution making us sick?

How is coal pollution making us sick? is the latest Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) report launched on 7 March. The paper provides an overview of the scientific evidence of how air pollution impacts on health and how emissions from coal power plants are implicated in this. It presents the first ever economic assessment of the health costs associated with air pollution from coal power plants in Europe as well as testimonies from leading health advocates, medical experts and policy (...)

[Save the date] Spotlight on Clean Air & Health

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the Health and Environmental Alliance (HEAL) focus on the connection between clean air and Health in an event hosted by Satu Hassi MEP (FI, the Greens) and co-hosted by Claudiu Ciprian Tănăsescu MEP (RO, S&D) in the European Parliament on 19 March 2013. You all are very welcomed to attend this event! You can register using this registration link The event will run from 18:00 in the Altiero Spinelli (ASP) building in room ASP 5E1 (...)

Preventing global non-communicable diseases through low carbon development

Both non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and climate change are enormous threats to global health - synergies attempting to tackle these major health threats have received limited attention to date. The increasing burden of NCDs poses an enormous threat to populations and health systems across the globe. At the same time, the impacts of climate change are predicted to have profound public health effects and there is an urgent need for transition to low-carbon economies. Although important (...)

EU Commission regulation proposal on sound level of motor vehicles- the relevance of EP Plenary vote

In December 2011, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a new regulation aimed at tightening noise emissions standards for cars, vans, lorries and buses. Although the Environmental Committee of the European Parliament has voted for tighter future noise limits for vehicles, the rapporteur disappointingly announced he would repeat the vote in a full Parliament Plenary. The Plenary vote took place on 6th February 2013. What’s the problem? More than 200 million European (...)

[EPT] Car noise pollution - new EU regulation - sound level of motor vehicles

Sound level of motor vehicles In December 2011, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a new regulation aimed at tightening noise emissions standards for cars, vans, lorries and buses. To become law, the regulation now needs approval by the Parliament and member states. Vehicle noise standards were last updated in 1996, so were long overdue. More than 200 million European citizens (one in three) are regularly exposed to traffic noise levels that put their health at risk. One in (...)

[Joint Press Release] Beyond disappointment – European lawmakers on the side of automobile industry on traffic noise vote

Brussels, February 6 - The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) (1) and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) (2) regret the outcome of today’s plenary vote at the European Parliament (EP) on the regulation on the sound level of motor vehicles. The majority of European Parliamentarians – the elected representatives of the citizens - have turned a blind eye to people’s concerns, and prioritised the automobile industry over everyone’s health and well-being. (...)

Attitudes of Europeans Towards Air Quality

Air quality is a major concern for European citizens and is an area in which the EU has been particularly active over the last 30 years. As part of continuing efforts to improve air quality and air pollution, the European Commission is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of EU air policy, with a view to revising the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution and associated legislation in 2013. The EU’s key objective in relation to air quality is "to achieve levels of air quality (...)

Plain cigarette packaging introduced today in Australia

Today, December 1st, Australia is making public health history by being the first country in the world to implement plain packaging for cigarettes. After long debates, strong pressure from the tobacco industry that went as far as to the country’s High Court, Australia becomes today the first country in the world to sell its cigarettes in plain packaging. Consisting of a standard shape without branding, design, logo or any promotional text, and the brand name appearing in a standard (...)

Public consultation on the urban dimension of the EU Transport Policy

EPHA’s planned contribution to the commission’s public consultation on the urban dimension of the EU Transport Policy The European Commission launched a public consultation on the urban dimension of the EU transport policy. As previously announced (October and November PCMs), EPHA Secretariat has been planning to contribute to the public consultation launched by the European Commission on the urban dimension of the EU transport policy. Based on an earlier EPHA response to the (...)

7th Environmental Action Programme: EPHA and HEAL meet the Environmental Attaché of the Irish Presidency

At the end of November, the Commission will publish its proposal for the next (7th) Environmental Action Programme (EAP). It will be on the agenda of the Irish Presidency of the EU. EPHA and the Health & Environmental Alliance (HEAL) met with the Irish environmental attaché on 8 November 2012. Relevance of the Environment Action Programmes for the public health community Environment in a larger sense has a huge influence on public health since it is not merely a matter of water, air (...)