Air pollution from fossil fuel heating remains one of Europe’s most preventable public health burdens. Millions of households across the continent still rely on coal, oil and gas for heating, releasing fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides directly into the air that we breathe indoors and outdoors. These pollutants enter deep into our lungs, making existing conditions worse and contributing to early deaths.
As Chair of the European Lung Foundation, and as someone who has lived with asthma for most of my life and who grew up in an era when coal fires were our only means of staying warm, I know how air quality affects people’s health.
Earlier this week, I joined policymakers, public health advocates and heating experts in Brussels at an event organised by the Cool Heating Coalition, with support from the Clean Air Fund, to discuss how Europe can accelerate the transition to clean heating while ensuring that no one is left behind.
The discussion focused on how European policies can work together to deliver cleaner air, lower emissions and better public health outcomes:
These are all important foundations for change, but policies can often remain disconnected. The event highlighted the opportunity to align these frameworks more closely so that climate, air quality and health objectives reinforce one another.
For people living with lung conditions, this matters. Poor indoor air quality can mean more breathlessness, greater need for medication and more hospital visits. Moving to clean heating is as important for lung health, and for our health in general, as it is for the environment.
However, this transition must also be fair. Many people face financial barriers, including the way in which the energy market is structured, that make it difficult to switch to cleaner heating alternatives. Heat pumps and other clean heating technologies can deliver health, environmental and economic benefits over time, but the upfront costs remain out of reach for many households.
Those attending the event agreed that European policies such as ETS2 and the Social Climate Fund must work not only to reduce emissions, but also to tackle energy poverty. A successful transition will be one that makes clean, affordable heating accessible to everyone, including those living with chronic lung conditions and other health vulnerabilities.
I came away from the event with a renewed belief that focusing on health benefits can help build broader support for a swift transition to clean heat. After all, good health for ourselves, our children and other loved ones is something that matters to all of us, regardless of background or perspective. Cleaner heating means cleaner air, healthier homes and healthier lives. That is a goal we can all get behind.
The European Lung Foundation (ELF) supports policies that protect lung health. Europe’s politicians must act urgently to ensure that ETS2, the Social Climate Fund and the Ambient Air Quality Directive all work together to deliver cleaner air, healthier homes and a fair transition for all.
To learn more about the links between air pollution, clean energy and lung health, read our Breathe Clean Air Advocacy Pack: https://europeanlung.org/healthy-lungs-for-life/about-the-campaign/breathecleanair/advocacy-pack/
Healthy Lungs for Life is a collaborative initiative of the European Lung Foundation (ELF) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS), supported by the Clean Air Fund. Working with patients, healthcare professionals and civil society organisations at national level, it combines scientific evidence, public engagement and advocacy to promote lung health and highlight the importance of clean air.
