Floods in Poland: The Need for Urgent Action for Health and Climate Protection
As floods in Europe increase due to climate change, HEAL Poland analyses the health impacts of floods and calls for policy action to protect health.
Letter: EU Healthy Air Coalition calls for confirmation of the revised Ambient Air Quality Directives
The EU Healthy Air Coalition, representing medical doctors, healthcare professionals, patient organisations and health insurers, call the members of the Environment Council of the EU to confirm the revision of EU’s clean air standards (Ambient Air Quality Directives).
Letter to EU environment ministers – uphold commitment to health protection objectives in Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability
HEAL has sent a letter to permanent representations of EU member states and EU environment ministers today, calling on their support and leadership to ensure that previous commitments made for a high level of health and environment protection will remain at the heart of the 2024-2029 EU Commission mandate, including delivering on the health protective measures promised in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) and the revision of REACH with no further delay.
HEAL annual report 2023-2024 out
Our Annual Report covering the financial period of March 2023 – March 2024 has just been published! Find out about our overarching strategic goals and the wide range of activities on air quality, climate and energy, chemicals pesticides, as well as research projects, using a myriad of tools and channels and often working with partners and in coalition.
Press note: European competitiveness will not be harmed by a PFAS restriction – but without it, people’s health will be
Press note: While the Draghi report is concerned about the economic implications from transitioning away from PFAS in Europe, this approach is fundamentally flawed given the health costs and severe health and environmental consequences associated with these substances.
Letter: EU Healthy Air Coalition calls to strengthen EU clean air measures to sustain quality of life
The EU Healthy Air Coalition, representing medical doctors, healthcare professionals, patient organisations and health insurers, which HEAL is a part of, call on the European Commission President von der Leyen, to prevent health impacts from air pollution. The coalition calls to award clean air a prominent mandate priority at Vice-Presidency level, in order to save costs and protect those most vulnerable.
Clean Air Day: Time to act to tackle socio-economic inequality and protect health, especially in cities
Air pollution is the leading environmental health threat in Europe, yet with targeted policy measures it can be largely preventable. While air pollution can affect everyone, certain people are more at-risk including children, pregnant women, the elderly or those living with disease. Another often overlooked risk factor, especially by policymakers, are the socio-economic conditions people live in.
Letter to the President of the European Commission on protecting people’s health against climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss
HEAL calls on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to commit to protecting people’s health from the triple crisis during her second term in a letter. HEAL urges her to safeguard and strengthen the EU climate and environmental acquis for better health, and accelerate on the zero pollution path, including for the foreseen reform of the EU chemicals law REACH.
Green 10 letter to the President of the European Parliament calling to address the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergency
The Green 10 coalition, which HEAL is a part of, encourages the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola upon her re-election to put the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergency at the forefront of her tenure.
Green 10 letter to the President of the European Commission on upholding and scaling up Green Deal commitments
The Green 10 coalition, which HEAL is a part of, encourages the EU Commission President to prioritize and scale up the Green Deal commitments towards zero pollution, thriving nature and health.
Letter: Protecting people’s health against climate, environmental threats and reducing health economic cost
HEAL has sent a letter to Members of the European Parliament urging them to commit to protecting health against climate, environmental threats in the next five years, in their positions on legislative proposals as well as in all budgetary and financial decisions.
Building Polish doctors’ capacity on environment, climate and health
In collaboration with the Polish Supreme Medical Chamber and the Polish Society of Allergology, HEAL Poland organized a series of virtual trainings for over 300 doctors. These trainings delved into critical health topics, including the impacts of air and transport pollution, health and climate change, and the urban burden of disease. The aim was to enhance doctors' awareness and understanding of the environmental and climate-related threats to health in Poland.
Ten pathways for better health 2024-2029
With the new EU strategic agenda, and policy cycle to 2029, European Union decision-makers can choose the path to better health, by recognising the urgency to act and adopting environmental and climate policies that accelerate the necessary transformation in this decade.
Press note: Health should remain in the scope of the ENVI committee
Press note: HEAL calls on the European Parliament to maintain health within the scope of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
Letter: Keep health in the scope of the EP’s ENVI Committee
In a letter, HEAL urges Members of the European Parliament to keep the current scope of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) to protect health against the triple crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
The UBD Policy Project holds a science-to-policy consultation workshop on urban disease burden reduction in Warsaw
The Health and Environment Alliance, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health , and the city of Warsaw recently hosted a half-day science-to-policy consultation workshop. The workshop brought together representatives from the city of Warsaw and regional authorities, doctors, researchers, and other stakeholders to discuss how to reduce the urban burden of disease in Warsaw through environmental, climate, and urban policies.
EU strategic agenda: Tackling pollution for healthy people, and a strong and secure Europe
In a letter, HEAL urges EU Heads of State to include measures to tackle pollution for people’s health in their blueprint for the next five years of EU policymaking.
Strengthening the Polish healthcare sector’s climate preparedness
As part of the conference “The role of green hospitals in tackling climate change", HEAL Poland organised a debate on the role of health experts in climate action and the health sector's preparedness, bringing together Polish and international health representatives.
Open letter to European Parliament group leaders by the Green 10
The Green 10, the coalition of ten of the largest environmental organisations and networks active on the European level including HEAL, has sent a letter to European Parliament group leaders, making an urgent appeal to continue to prioritise a green and just transition towards climate neutrality, zero pollution and thriving nature, as political groups in the Parliament are holding talks over future priorities and consider their approval of a European Commission President.
Opinion: EU’s leaked strategic agenda makes zero mention of health
HEAL Director Génon K. Jensen writes for EUobserver on the importance to reflect the heavy toll climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution are taking on health in the EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 .
