Promoting healthier environment for healthier lives
Despite progress over the past decades, pollution and other environmental risks continue to harm people’s health in Europe.
Published on 21 June, EEA (European Environment Agency) Signals 2023 looks at the connection between environment and health and how taking care of nature and the climate can deliver long-term health benefits for all Europeans.
Current generations of Europeans live longer and healthier lives than their parents and grandparents. Some of this positive development is due to advances in environmental policy, such as achieving better air or water quality or curbing the use of the most harmful chemicals. Yet, more than one out of 10 premature deaths in the EU are related to pollution and the consequences of climate change are becoming more and more severe.
‘EEA Signals 2023 — Health and environment in Europe’ gives a broad overview of links between health and environment in Europe. The ‘EEA Signals’ is a collection of short articles, based on previously published EEA data, information, and expert interviews.
EEA Signals 2023 articles focus on air and water quality, noise, chemicals, and climate change. Jerker Ligthart of ChemSec, a Swedish NGO, discusses the issue of hazardous chemicals and building a safer chemical system. EEA’s Gerardo Sanchez talks about the development of the European environment and health atlas and what it offers for citizens.
Leena Ylä-Mononen, EEA Executive Director, says: “Nature is the foundation of our health and well-being. It gives us clean air, water, food, materials and space for recreation. Spending time in nature is good for our mental health. And if we do not take care of the planet, its climate and ecosystems, we undermine how our societies function, worsen our lives and, perhaps most directly, harm our own well-being.”
The EEA Signals report is an annual, easy-to-read web publication that looks at key issues related to the environment and climate. Recent EEA Signals reports have looked at energy (2022), nature (2021), zero pollution (2020), soil (2019) and water (2018).
This article was first published by the European Environment Agency and is republished here under Creative Commons Licensing guidelines. The EEA is an official agency of the European Union that delivers knowledge and data to support Europe’s environment and climate goals.
