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 Green 10 have written to Vice-President Timmermans in advance of the publication of the REPowerEU package on 18 May:
We strongly support accelerating renewables as part of the EU’s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, but also we want to share with you deep misgivings about some of the measures suggested.
Failure to push back on false arguments, failure to stick to the European Green Deal, and advancing the wrong measures in the REPowerEU that would allow a roll-back of environmental regulation, ignore citizen voices by side-stepping consultation, and focusing on renewables in protected areas when there are clearly so many better opportunities will together lead to a major public outcry and be fundamentally counter- productive. We call on you to take these points seriously and ensure that the REPowerEU does not undermine the EGD and the hope that citizens see in the EGD and the European Project.
Read the full letter here
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