Healthy environment, healthy lives

COVID-19 is highlighting an urgent need to link environment and health policies. It has become increasingly clear that climate change, air pollution, noise, toxic chemicals and other environmental threats are directly impacting on human health.

“We need a healthy environment if we want to lead healthy lives,” (03:06) argued Hans Bruyninckx, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency.

Bruyninckx presented a new EEA report ‘Healthy environment, healthy lives: how the environment influences health and wellbeing in Europe’ at the Friends of Europe online event.

EEA report highlights

05:03 Up to one-in-eight deaths in Europe linked to environmental factors.

06:04 Poor air quality means 400,000 Europeans die prematurely every year.

07:06 Noise pollution brings heart disease, premature death and child cognitive impairment.

08:13 Heat waves, extreme cold, floods, increasing disease vectors show ‘very clear’ links between climate change and health.

09:07 More study needed on health threats from chemicals and antimicrobial resistance.

11:21 Environmental and social factors such as air pollution and access to water are worsening the impact of COVID-19.

European Green Deal welcomed but not enough

Speakers backed the European Green Deal and the 21 July agreement among EU leaders on a €1.8tn package to reboot the economy. However, they said EU targets should be more ambitious and priorities better focused to tackle the climate emergency and other environmental challenges.

“EU policymakers need to walk the talk on greening the economy, on protecting our health and on moving us to zero pollution,” (16:50) said Anne Stauffer, Director of Strategy and Campaigns of the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL). “The EU Green Deal cannot be underestimated, but we need to make these commitments that are in the Green Deal … and turn them into tangible actions and actual decisions.”

12:48 Implementation of the Green Deal will create a healthier environment and cut healthcare costs (Bruyninckx).

17:39 The European Parliament should correct the “big disappointment” caused by proposed cuts in health programmes, research and investment, and to help regions move away from fossil fuels (Stauffer).

19:56 Although the European Commission is expected to raise its 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target from 40% to 55% this month, that’s still inadequate and should be taken to 65% (Stauffer).

38:20 EU member states should halt policies incompatible with climate goals, like support for airlines, coal industries and conventionally powered cars (Katarina Luhr, Stockholm’s Vice Mayor for Climate and the Environment).

Green and healthy cities

The pandemic has accentuated the role of cities in promoting cleaner environments and healthier lives. That’s recognised by national and European authorities who are devolving responsibilities. The way cities and citizens have adapted to COVID-19, for example through remote working, can bring long-term benefits.

“There are many indications that this new way of working will carry over into the post-corona future,” (39:13) explained Luhr. “That does open up many opportunities: less commutes to work could mean less congestion on our roads and less CO2 emissions, and with less people flocking to the city centres, we could see a revitalization of neglected districts on the periphery.”

35:52 Cities need better national and EU policies to help them improve citizens’ lives (Luhr).

10:15 Investment in green and blue city spaces can be a low-cost way of improving health, the environment and social cohesion (Bruyninckx).

27:25 COVID-19 has forced cities to take quick action, for example on opening cycle and walking paths, that build urban resilience (Francesca Racioppi, Head of the European Centre for Environment and Health of the World Health Organisation).

39:49 Cities should expand the range of recreational and cultural attractions to encourage citizens to staycation (Luhr)

Post pandemic priorities

The fast pace of decision-making during the pandemic can be maintained to ensure that the post-COVID normality better protects public health and the environment.

“COVID has been a big game changer, it has helped us to focus on what is really of importance,” (29:28) said Racioppi. “The link to the environment, to the integrity of our world’s ecological systems, is not just about protecting a few endangered species, it is about protecting the survival of human beings, it is about protecting ourselves and the generations to come.”

Priorities for the next 12 months?

58:00 Stricter air-quality standards and more ambitious 2030 European climate targets (Stauffer).

58:22 Stronger regulations for cars and trucks; better planning for nature-based city solutions (Luhr).

59:30 Every child in every school in Europe should have access to handwashing facilities (Racioppi).

1:00:21 Greater alignment of health and environment policy and more European investment in both (Bruyninckx).