Many chronic and acute diseases – such as cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, diabetes and obesity and also mental illnesses – are caused by or worsened by pollution in our present and past environments.
HEAL works with organisations like WHO and UNEP, European institutions and organisations as well as national decision-makers and partners to prevent this environmental burden of disease by stronger policy action.
The next EU budget: Strengthening financing for zero pollution, climate resilience and disease prevention
In the coming months, EU institutions will negotiate the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The MFF is the EU’s long-term budget, usually covering a seven-year period. It details the public spending for different areas of EU policies, including environment and climate action.
The Clean Industrial Deal needs to be a zero-pollution deal
Against the backdrop of an ever-growing body of evidence on the health impacts and cost of people's exposure to pollution, HEAL is concerned that the Clean Industrial Deal misses the opportunity to set the EU on the path for swift and significant pollution reduction and disease prevention. To work for people in the EU and their health, the Clean Industrial Deal needs to be a zero pollution deal, with three principles at its core.
The Polish EU Presidency needs to protect health from climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss
Opinion by HEAL Poland Director Weronika Michalak: as the urgency to act on the triple crisis - climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss - becomes increasingly clear, I hope that the Polish Presidency of the European Union, which began on 1st January this year, will set the course for decisive EU climate and environmental policies aimed at protecting people's health across Europe.
Repost: Joint letter to EU Commission President on enabling civil society engagement to strengthen democracy and support the European project
Repost in light of the European Parliament's plenary debate taking place on 22 January 2025…
Joint letter to EU Commission President: Protect people, nature, and democracy in EU regulations
In a joint letter, more than 270 civil society organisations, trade unions, consumer groups, farmers organisations, civil rights groups, health and environmental organisations representing millions of citizens, call on European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen to shun deregulation and prioritise the protection of people, nature, and democracy in its decision-making processes.
Joint letter to EU Commission President on enabling civil society engagement to strengthen democracy and support the European project
In light of questions raised in the European Parliament’s Budgetary Control (CONT) Committee on EU…
Health benefits of a Green Deal approach in Turkey
A new briefing by HEAL (in English and in Turkish), as part of the EU funded CISIP project, underlines the many health benefits that could be gained if Turkish decision-makers implemented stronger Green Deal action. Turkey’s Green Deal Action Plan, launched in 2021, sets 32 objectives and 81 actions, including on a Green and Circular Economy, secure energy supply and sustainable agriculture. However, contrary to the EU Green Deal which was adopted in 2019, the Turkish plan doesn’t set any tangible targets or deadlines.
HEAL’s vision for Europe leading the way towards a non-toxic environment
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) today released its vision for Europe leading the transition…
Climate mitigation is win-win for public health
A new publication in German by HEAL aims to shed light on a neglected topic…
Breast Cancer: Preventing the preventable
This leaflet briefly describes the evidence that hormonally active chemicals may be implicated in breast cancer.
Breast Cancer: Factors influencing the risk of breast cancer – established and emerging
This briefing summarises the key information on all the risk factors and breast cancer with particular focus on the potential role of certain chemicals in the environment.
How PFAS chemicals affect women, pregnancy and human development: Health actors call for urgent action to phase them out
The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) have published a fact sheet and infographic to call for immediate action against “forever chemicals”, to protect reproductive health, fertility and human development.
EU should ban brain-harming chlorpyrifos to protect health
Today, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) together with Générations Futures, Pesticide Action Network Europe…
HEAL fact sheet – Chronic disease and environment
In lieu of the European Parliament voting on a Resolution on the EU position and commitment in advance to the UN high-level meeting on the prevention and control of non-communicable disease, HEAL produced a fact sheet titled ’Chronic disease: How do environmental factors play a role?’
HEAL and European Cancer Leagues relaunch infographic illustrating how Europe can prevent cancer by tackling environmental pollutants
To mark the start of the European Week Against Cancer 2022, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the European Cancer Leagues (ECL) have teamed up to relaunch an infographic telling the story behind environmental cancer prevention.
How does early-life exposure to environmental pollutants affect our health? New flyer and video from the ATHLETE project
Have you ever wondered whether and how our everyday environment and activities affect our health? The ATHLETE project is designed to answer these questions by studying the Human Exposome – the totality of environmental exposures from conception to adulthood. Today we are excited to launch a new flyer and video to present the key activities of our research project.
Mutualités Libres and HEAL launch infographic illustrating 10 tips to avoid endocrine disruptors in and around your home
Results from a new survey published by the Belgian Independent Health Insurance Funds (Mutualités Libres…
FIGO, UCSF and HEAL share 10 tips to avoid toxic chemicals during and after pregnancy
The Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the University of California – San Francisco (UCSF) and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) have launched easy-to-use infographics for obstetricians, gynecologists and health groups to create awareness around toxic chemicals and pregnancy in a one-week social media campaign.
HEAL and European Cancer Leagues launch infographic illustrating how Europe can prevent cancer by tackling environmental pollutants
To mark the start of the European Week Against Cancer 2020, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the European Cancer Leagues (ECL) have teamed up to launch an infographic telling the story behind environmental cancer prevention.
The next EU budget: Strengthening financing for zero pollution, climate resilience and disease prevention
In the coming months, EU institutions will negotiate the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The MFF is the EU’s long-term budget, usually covering a seven-year period. It details the public spending for different areas of EU policies, including environment and climate action.
Repost: Joint letter to EU Commission President on enabling civil society engagement to strengthen democracy and support the European project
Repost in light of the European Parliament's plenary debate taking place on 22 January 2025…
Joint letter to EU Commission President: Protect people, nature, and democracy in EU regulations
In a joint letter, more than 270 civil society organisations, trade unions, consumer groups, farmers organisations, civil rights groups, health and environmental organisations representing millions of citizens, call on European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen to shun deregulation and prioritise the protection of people, nature, and democracy in its decision-making processes.
Joint letter to EU Commission President on enabling civil society engagement to strengthen democracy and support the European project
In light of questions raised in the European Parliament’s Budgetary Control (CONT) Committee on EU…
CSO statement: The EU Commission must provide guarantees on climate, nature and public health
Together with 180+ organisations, HEAL cal on the EU Commission to provide guarantees on climate, nature and public health, ensuring the protection of people.
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.
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.
European Parliament recognises the European Green Deal as a significant contributing factor to cancer prevention in Europe
The European Parliament has adopted its non-legislative report responding to the publication of the EU Commission 2021 communication on Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, recognising the EU Green Deal is a key tool to limit people’s exposure to pollution and prevent cancer.
How ATHLETE research on the Human Exposome offers tools for lifelong disease prevention and policy action: New overview article in Journal of Environmental Epidemiology
A new overview paper in the Journal of Environmental Epidemiology connects the dots on how the ATHLETE project's research on the Human Exposome offers advanced tools for lifelong disease prevention and policy action.
Glyphosate: Health and cancer groups ask France to publicly clarify contradictory position regarding the health effects of the world’s top-selling herbicide
Is France making a dangerous U-turn on its position on glyphosate? In an open letter published today, HEAL, the Association of European Cancer Leagues and La Ligue contre le Cancer urge the French government to publicly clarify its position regarding the health risks posed by the substance.
HEAL reaction to the European Commission’s Zero Pollution Action Plan
Today, the Commission published its Zero Pollution Action Plan for air, water and soils (ZPAP)…
If Europe really wants to beat cancer, it needs to drastically reduce environmental pollutants and action its Zero Pollution ambition
Today the European Commission launched the Beating Cancer Plan, marking the beginning of a new era in cancer prevention. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) has welcomed the ambitious plan as a major step forward to prevent cancer by preventing pollution.
Non-Communicable Diseases and Environmental Determinants
This briefing paper aims to provide latest knowledge on Non Communicable Diseases from some of the leading experts and organisations from four perspectives: women’s organisations, health sector, developing countries and trade unions.
Unpaid Health Bill – how coal power plants make us sick
In March 2013, HEAL launched the first ‘Unpaid Health Bill – How coal power plants…
Breast Cancer and exposure to hormonally active chemicals: An appraisal of the scientific evidence
The report provides a review of the scientific evidence that certain chemicals may be implicated in breast cancer, and focuses on the role of hormone disrupting chemicals.