On March 28th 2023 the European Lung Health Group launched its policy brief ‘Improving lung health in the EU with renewed Air Quality Directives’.
The document outlines the call of the European respiratory community to ensure the future EU Air Quality Directive sets stricter air quality standards that increase the protection of lung health.
The European Lung Health Group urgently calls to:
1. Promote a high level of public health protection through the full alignment of EU air quality standards with the 2021 WHO Air Quality Guidelines by no later than 2030.
2. Ensure a future-proof air quality framework, via a mechanism that will enable the review of future scientific evidence of health impacts due to air pollution and allow for fast update of the air quality standards, including expansion to pollutants currently not covered.
3. Improve the air pollution monitoring network and scope, with a stronger focus on health effects and supporting citizen-driven monitoring.
4. Put citizens at the centre of the directives, enabling easy access to justice, timely compensation for health damages due to air pollution, strict penalties for polluters and quick litigation procedures.
5. Facilitate access to real-time public information on air quality, including a harmonisation of national Air Quality Indices (AQIs) and the adoption of information thresholds for all pollutants.
You can find the full policy briefing here.
