13 July, 2023
The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the European Lung Foundation (ELF), the patient facing partner organisation to ERS are delighted to have been awarded a grant from the Clean Air Fund, to help support the joint ERS/ELF Healthy Lungs for Life (HLfL) campaign.
The Clean Air Fund partners with organisations that promote air quality, build public demand for clean air and drive policy change. The work that both ELF and ERS have done to urge revisions to the Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD), and champion Clean Air in Europe for All, is part of the important advocacy work that has led to ELF being awarded this grant of €80,000. The grant will be essential in supporting ELF and ERS’s global HLfL public awareness campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of lung health through a range of events, projects and promotional activities.
This year, the ERS International Congress will be held in Milan, a city in the Lombardy region of Italy, which is one of the most polluted regions in Europe. The location of the Congress has been an influencing factor in the congress theme, which was recently announced as ‘Air pollution, climate change and sustainability’. The HLfL activities around the event will focus on raising public awareness to local people, with a view to inspiring positive behaviours and gaining public support for related policy asks.
Additionally, and in line with the theme of Congress, ERS and ELF are working to ensure the Italian government hears the concerns of local people and upholds WHO recommendations in policy making. Both organisations are urging support of the EU’s AAQD, which will be voted on next year. This will help to ensure that EU members are working to keep pollution levels low and will set a blueprint for other countries.
With the funding from the Clean Air Fund, ELF is awarding a special round of Healthy Lungs for Life Clean Air Grants to organisations focused on promoting clean air for good lung health. The grants are split into two categories:
- EU organisations using the grants to gain support for the EU’s Ambient Air Quality Directive. Up to five grants of €1,000 to €1,500 are on offer.
- Global organisations (outside of the EU) using the grants to promote clean air in their communities. Five grants of €1,000 are on offer.
Organisations are expected to run events and communications campaigns promoting clean air throughout September, with a special focus on World Lung Day, 25 September. This will help to amplify a united global message – everyone should have the right to breathe clean air.
As part of the HLfL campaign, the following activities will also take place at Congress:
- A two-day public-facing event in Milan in partnership with local clear air project Forestami, where there will be spirometry tests for the public and a space for conversations on the negative impact of air pollution.
- A press launch for the opening of the public event with politicians, and high-profile guests. This will ensure that the messages of the campaign are heard throughout the Lombardy region and beyond.
- A workshop on the Wednesday at Congress to engage congress delegates, local healthcare professionals and organisations. This workshop will offer training on community and public engagement with a focus on clean air, empowering local people to continue to make a difference.
- A series of Coffee and Clean Air events at the Congress to ensure that healthcare professionals and patients understand the health outcomes of air pollution can be advocates of AAQD.
- A fun run on Tuesday morning to get Congress delegates active, and to raise more awareness around our HLfL campaign.