The European Union Healthy Air Coalition (EUHAC), along with over 30 health organisations, has launched an appeal calling for a phase-out of fossil fuels.
The joint statement calls on EU policymakers to immediately transition away from fossil fuels. “Climate change and air pollution are the greatest environmental threats to health in Europe, and burning fossil fuels is a major driver of both,” it reads.
The EUHAC argues that Europe is the fastest warming continent in the world, with air pollution resulting in “hundreds of thousands of premature deaths annually.” Poor air quality affects the lungs and other organs, it has also been shown to have an impact on mental and neurological health.
The statement cites a recent European Commission report which found that health damages from air pollution are estimated to be between €290bn and €950bn per year by 2030. Despite these costs, subsidies provided to fossil fuels in the EU still reached €111bn in 2023, European Environment Agency statistics...