Healthy Lungs for Life will work in partnership with local communities, patient organisations, healthcare professionals, youth and public health advocates to improve awareness, education, and support for clean air policies.
ELF and ERS have been awarded a grant from the Clean Air Fund to hold activities and events in up to 14 European cities over two years — to boost public and political awareness of the importance of clean air policies and support countries in implementing the European Union (EU) Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD).
Clean air policies protect health — especially the health of children, the elderly and those living with lung conditions. After the EU adopted the AAQD’s stronger laws on air quality in 2024, it is now down to EU countries to act on air pollution to protect their citizens.
Healthy Lungs for Life will work in partnership with local partners to organise events, activities and discussions that:
The campaign will activate the general public and policymakers in countries where the burden of poor air quality and respiratory illness is high. It will combine public engagement events — including free spirometry testing — with school-based educational activities; communications campaigns; stakeholder and media engagement; and engagement with policymakers and political leaders to address issues like air pollution at local, national and international levels.
Following its official launch at the ERS Presidential Summit in Warsaw — in partnership with the Polish Respiratory Coalition — Healthy Lungs for Life will visit cities in Germany, France, Ireland, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Romania and Greece. The programme will also return to Poland for further activities later in 2026, to coincide with the country’s designated Year of Health Prevention.
