Is there a link between polluted air and climate crisis?

Acting for collective well-being

Combating pollution and climate change in Europe is needed to preserve the health and well-being of the population, especially the most vulnerable.

Air pollution and the effects of climate change such as heat waves and exposure to hazardous chemicals can lead to serious health problems. Poor environmental quality contributes to 13% of deaths, according to a major health and environment assessment published by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

According to the EEA report “Healthy environment, healthy lives: how the environment influences health and wee-being in Europe,” a significant proportion of health problems in Europe can still be attributed to environmental pollution from human activities.

More than 400,000 premature deaths

Air pollution remains the main threat to health in Europe and is responsible for more than 400 thousand premature deaths per year in the EU. It is followed by noise pollution, which contributes to 12,000 premature deaths, and the effects of climate change, particularly heat waves. The burden of pollution and climate change takes on different proportions in Europe, and there are clear differences between Eastern and Western European countries.

There is a clear link between the state of the environment and the health of our population.

The report, which draws extensively from data provided by the World Health Organization on the causes of death and disease, highlights how the quality of Europe’s environment plays a key role in our health and well-being, highlighting how social inequalities and unhealthy behaviors affect environmental health.

The European Green Deal

It is increasingly clear that if we take care of our planet we save not only ecosystems, but also people’s lives, particularly those who are most vulnerable.

“The European Union is committed to this approach, and through the new Biodiversity Strategy, the Circular Economy Action Plan and other new initiatives, we are on our way to building a more resilient and healthier Europe for its citizens and beyond,” said Virginijus Sinkevičius, commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.

Citizens are exposed to multiple risks at all times, including air, water and noise pollution, as well as chemicals, which combine and in some cases act simultaneously with health consequences. European cities are particularly vulnerable to this multiplicity of threats; that is why targeted interventions need to be implemented to improve the environmental conditions of the most vulnerable people in Europe.

Within the EU, the European Green Deal represents a decisive change of direction in dictating the direction of the European political agenda and sets out a sustainable and inclusive strategy to improve the health and quality of life of citizens, respect for nature, and leave no one behind.