European Parliament and the European Council reach a deal on the EU AAQD’s revision

Last night the European Parliament and the European Council agreed on new rules on air pollution in the Ambient Air Quality Directive. Whilst these will unfortunately not meet the WHO Air Quality Guideline targets which are based on strong scientific evidence, they are still a step forward for Europe in reducing air pollution for all.

Each year in Europe there are more than 300,000 excess deaths caused by air pollution. People with pre-existing lung conditions are at a greater risk of harm from air pollution.

The ELF Climate Change and Air Pollution working group would like to express their gratitude to everyone who has worked hard to get these changes to this stage, as they will help to ensure vulnerable people are better protected from the impacts of pollution.

This Directive will improve the quality of ambient air and benefit patients worldwide, but for people suffering from chronic respiratory diseases it is even more important. Breathing clean air is one of the vital conditions for reducing daily symptoms and exacerbations of their diseases.

However, this is not the end of our work as the Directive now needs to be voted in by MEPs later this year. We urge people living with lung conditions to write to their MEPs and express the importance of adopting these changes for their quality of life and their health. This is especially important if you live in Germany, France or Italy which are countries expected to challenge these changes.

By working together we will be able to make the difference that is needed to improve lung health for all.

Healthy Lungs for Life Advocacy Pack