Clean air is essential for healthy living. The European Union is working to ensure that every citizen can breathe without risking their well-being. Progress has been made over the past decades, but more needs to be done still.
For now, air pollution remains to be the number one environmental cause of premature deaths in the European Union. Estimates show that air pollution is causing more than 400 000 premature deaths each year. Besides this, millions of Europeans suffer from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases caused by air pollution. The economic costs of air pollution in the EU are well over €20 billion a year.
The European Commission is committed to address air this, and to achieve levels of air pollution which do not give rise to significant negative impacts on or risks to on human health and the environment.
However, tackling air pollution is a complex and systemic challenge that requires concerted action across societal actors and economic sectors, including the energy sector and industrial activities, transport, agricultural production systems, as well as households’ heating and consumption. A Clean Air ‘leaflet’ provides a brief overview: download leaflet.
The European Clean Air Forum will provide a basis for structured dialogues, exchange of knowledge and good practices, and to enhance capacity of relevant stakeholders to improve air quality. It aims to reflect on the development of policies, projects and programmes in the context of air pollution and air quality, and facilitate the implementation of European, national and local air policies.
The Clean Air Forum will focus on three themes: air quality in cities; air pollution from the agricultural sector; and clean air business opportunities. The conference itself will thus bring together experts on the above topics as well as decision-makers and stakeholders in a two-day conference.
The event language is English; translation into French will be provided.