08 December 2022 - Hybrid Policy Dialogue organised in cooperation with SUEZ and All Policies for a Healthy Europe

Speakers: Anne Stauffer, Deputy Director, Strategic Lead, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL); Catherine Ganzleben, Head of Group, Air Pollution, Environment and Health, European Environment Agency; François Wakenhut, Head of Unit, Clean Air & Urban Policy, DG Environment, European Commission; Jérome Arnaudis, Vice President, Air Solutions, SUEZ; Lina Forsman, Policy Officer, Gothenburg European Office; Margherita Tolotto, Senior Policy Officer for Air and Noise, European Environmental Bureau

Moderator: Stefan Sipka, Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre

The European Commission has rightly proposed stricter rules on air quality. Europe sees hundreds of thousands of premature deaths annually because of air pollution. The levels of air pollutants across the continent continue to exceed the existing EU standards and the more stringent World Health Organisation’s guidelines. The air we breathe affects people’s health and productivity, healthcare systems, and the labour market. Reducing emissions will also contribute to climate action.

This hybrid Policy Dialogue reflected on the EU’s challenges with achieving clean air, such as the ongoing energy crisis and the rise of wood and coal burning. It assessed the possibilities of improving air quality in Europe, including the role of innovative solutions. Finally, it considered the strength and weaknesses of the European Commission’s proposal for clean air, the prospects for negotiations with the Council of the EU and the European Parliament, and how to ensure achieving clean air gets the attention it deserves.