Clearing the Air - Impact Story
Translation & Impact What We Do Impact Unit

Clearing the Air

Elevating Europe’s air quality standards for better health

Photo: Aleksandar Pasari / Pexels (1); Nick Wehrli / Pexels (2)

ISGlobal’s Urban Planning, Environment and Health Initiative has produced —and translated— extensive evidence on the health impacts of outdoor air pollution. This work, in collaboration with European partners, has been instrumental in advocating for stricter air quality standards in Europe, leading to the revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD) —a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve air quality and protect public health. In addition, the UPEH initiative has raised awareness of the health effects of air pollution among the public and policymakers, participated in local and regional organisations, and influenced urban policies to prioritise health at both local and regional levels.

What is the problem?

Air pollution isn’t just an environmental issue —it’s a health crisis affecting us all. According to the WHO, 90% of the world’s population breathes polluted air. In Europe alone, toxic air cuts short 300,000 lives every year. Beyond shortening lives, air pollution drives a growing burden of chronic diseases like asthma, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and even dementia. The most vulnerable among us —children, the elderly, and those with preexisting health conditions— are paying the heaviest price.

The alarming health burden of air pollution and related healthcare costs called for urgent action to adopt stricter air quality standards in Europe than those set in 2008, and more closely aligned with the WHO’s air quality guidelines, updated in 2021.

Key facts

90% of the world’s population breathes polluted air
300K premature deaths per year in Europe due to air pollution
109K deaths from particulate matter (PM2.5) could be prevented annually in European cities if WHO air quality guidelines were met
700 premature deaths could be prevented annually in Barcelona if the Superblock model and Green Axis plan were fully implemented

What did our researchers do?

New research evidence

In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared outdoor air pollution as a leading environmental cause of cancer, classifying it as a Group 1 carcinogen (meaning there is sufficient evidence that it causes lung cancer). However, less was known about its effects on other cancers or other health outcomes, especially in children, who are particularly vulnerable to environmental exposures. 

ISGlobal's research has provided new insights into the wider health effects of air pollution beyond lung cancer, including delays in children's cognitive development, childhood asthma and depression. A 2021 ISGlobal study concluded that meeting WHO's updated air quality guidelines could prevent over 109,000 deaths from particulate matter (PM2.5) and over 57,000 deaths from nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure annually in European cities. Even more lives could be saved with lower levels of pollution. One result of this research is the ISGlobal Ranking of Cities, which estimates the health impact of urban and transport planning in 1,000 European cities.

An advocacy campaign

  • Key partnerships: In October 2022, as part of the European Green Deal, the EU Commission proposed revisions to the air quality directives, setting more ambitious targets for 2030 that were better aligned with WHO guidelines. At the time, ISGlobal raised concerns about the lack of ambition in the proposed revisions and helped shape the debate within the European Parliament. ISGlobal partnered with key organisations including the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), Salud por Derecho, and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL). Together, we signed a series of commentaries in the International Journal of Public Health, Environmental Epidemiology, and the European Respiratory Journal calling for more urgent and ambitious action by the European Commission, and warning that delays in tackling air pollution would exacerbate health inequalities and increase healthcare costs. 
  • Evidence sharing: A cornerstone of ISGlobal’s advocacy strategy was synthesising available scientific evidence into accessible formats, like policy briefs, blog posts and fact sheets. These materials distilled information from larger reports, making it easier for both policymakers and the public to grasp the urgent need for stricter air quality regulations and were widely circulated during public consultations and meetings.

    With the support of the Policy & Development Team, ISGlobal engaged directly with members of the European Parliament, including Spanish Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Javi López, who was the rapporteur on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe.  As a result, the European Parliament’s draft on the Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe directive cites ISGlobal as one of the contributing entities (pg. 122).
  • Social media was integral to amplifying ISGlobal’s advocacy efforts. For instance, ISGlobal’s/UBD’s LinkedIn post in February 2024 on the Economic Fallacy of Air Pollution gained significant traction. Published just before the final AAQD negotiations, it garnered more than 1.5 million impressions, with key engagement coming from individuals in government administration across major European cities, including Brussels, Paris, Madrid, and The Hague.

    ISGlobal also joined the Clean Cities Campaign– a network of over 70 NGOs and grassroots groups across Europe– engaging in various activities to advocate for cleaner air. As part of this effort, ISGlobal is currently designing a course for local stakeholders to address the implications of the new European AAQD and identify opportunities for improving public health.

What changes has our research contributed to?

More engagement from policy-makers

ISGlobal’s research and translation efforts have raised awareness about the severe health impacts of air pollution among policymakers at the local, national, and European levels.

  1. Local level: In Barcelona, former Mayor Ada Colau’s government referred to ISGlobal’s research on air quality on various occasions when pursuing new urban planning measures, such as pacifying school streets to improve air quality and health. Under her leadership, Barcelona implemented low-emission zones (LEZs) to reduce urban air pollution and implemented significant projects such as the Superblock model (“Superilla”) and Green Axis (Eixos Verds) plan. If fully implemented, this model could prevent almost 700 premature deaths every year in Barcelona, according to a study led by Natalie Mueller.
  2. National and regional level: In October 2023, ISGlobal and its partners sent a letter to Spain's then Minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, emphasising the window of opportunity for Spain to support the revision of the EU’s AAQD. Ribera has been instrumental in pushing for policies that support cleaner air and public health. Similarly, ISGlobal's work was referenced by technical staff and political officials at the presentation of Catalonia's new air quality plan last year, positioning health as a key reason for the stricter guidelines.
  3. European and global level: Spanish MEP Javi López, urged the European Commission to align its directives with the WHO’s after engaging with ISGlobal. Maria Neira, Director of Public Health and the Environment at the WHO, has regularly amplified ISGlobal’s findings through social media (f.ex. studies on air pollution and brain health, green space and CO2 emissions and new urban models in European cities), reinforcing their relevance in advancing air quality as a global health priority.

Stricter European air quality standards

In a major victory for public health, the European Parliament voted on 14 October 2024 to adopt stricter air quality standards. These new AAQDs are expected to reduce illnesses and deaths related to air pollution and the significant economic and social costs associated with poor air quality. The new directives also call for better, harmonised reporting mechanisms and stronger accountability measures, such as allowing citizens' groups to take legal action against governments that fail to meet the new standards. 

However, while these new European standards are a crucial first step in protecting public health, they still fall short of the WHO’s stricter 2021 guidelines. This means that the fight for clean air is far from over. ISGlobal will continue to urge policymakers at both European and local levels to prioritise air quality in their agendas, ensure the implementation of the newly adopted directives, and take concrete measures to reduce air pollution. Clean air should be a right and not a privilege. 

New alliances across sectors

The advocacy efforts of ISGlobal and its partners have broken down silos and strengthened collaboration between key European health and environment organisations, including ERS, ISEE and HEAL. This alliance is now well-positioned to influence future public health and environmental policy in Europe. 

Links and References