Air pollution and health: recent advances in air pollution epidemiology to inform the European Green Deal: a joint workshop report of ERS, WHO, ISEE and HEI. Issue 5 (5th November 2020) - Hoffmann, Barbara
Ambient air pollutants can adversely affect population health in multiple ways, such as through respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological and birth-related outcomes [1–3]. These health effects lead to a substantial burden of disease and economic impact. In response, air quality policies have been put into place across the globe. The European Union has developed an extensive body of legislation which establishes health-based standards for several air pollutants [4–6]. Despite sizable successes of pollution control over the past decades, air pollution-related disease burden among Europeans remains high, leading the European Commission to conclude that the current legislation has only been partially successful in protecting the health of Europeans [7]. Recent evidence from large research programmes and comprehensive reviews supports this view and points towards important aspects to consider in striving to reduce air pollution-related burden of disease. Current European air pollution levels, which are in most places well below air quality limit values, still have deleterious health effects. The report discusses ways to move forward with air quality legislation to improve public health. https://bit.ly/3kFRHHf