23 July, 2024
The European Commission’s 2025 implementation review is an opportunity to ensure that a high level of health protection is maintained across the EU and that measures continue to protect vulnerable groups, including respiratory patients.
This review will proactively address the gaps in implementation of environmental laws and link better with other legislation aimed at clean air in Europe. ERS, ELF and Lungs Europe fully support this review, highlighting five key points as part of the call for evidence:
- Health protection and vulnerable population: clean air and healthy environments reduce the risk of developing respiratory diseases in the population, reduce adverse environmental impacts on vulnerable groups and reduce exposure to environmental risk factors such as air pollution, pollen and other aeroallergens.
- Impact of air pollution on respiratory health: air pollution, in particular nitrogen oxide and fine particulate matter (PM5) poses a significant threat to respiratory patients and individuals with impaired respiratory functions – including those with asthma, COPD or cystic fibrosis.
- Recommendations for the Ambient Air Quality Directive: limit values for the concentrations of the five main pollutants should adhere to WHO air quality recommendations. This could help prevent almost 10% of observed mortality in lung transplant patients and up to 11% of all incident childhood asthma cases.
- Review of the National Emissions Reduction Commitments (NEC) Directive: a report by the European Environment Bureau highlights that all but one EU member state will not meet their emission reduction commitments by 2030 and from 2030 onwards, more than half of the member states will not adhere to emission reduction commitments.
- Integrating legislation: the climate crisis and its health impact shows the importance of connecting environment and health policies to other legislative policies focused on other areas. Regional and local authorities may benefit from additional support to implement effective measures to reduce air pollution.