Air Pollution and Health:
Improving Air Quality and Tackling Epidemics

Air pollution is the world’s largest environmental health threat, which no only causes long-term damage on our organs, it also worsens the effects of epidemics. Studies have found that improving air quality can decrease the health costs of epidemics, and health costs in general.

This event aims to highlight two of these studies:

1. “The Impact of environmental factors on viruses/virus infections – a systematic review” led by the German Research Centre for Environmental – Health Institute of Epidemiology (Helmholtz Munich) and

2. “Air pollution and COVID-19 – Social cost estimate of air pollution related COVID-19 control measures” by the Dutch environmental consultancy CE Delft.

Researchers from Helmholtz Munich and CE Delft will present their findings, followed by a debate on measures to limit air pollution, such as tightening EU air quality standards, with speakers from civil society organisations, healthcare professionals and European Institutions representatives.