Health & Environment.

 

A clean environment is essential for human health and well-being. At the same time, the local environment can also be a source of stressors - for example air pollution, noise, hazardous chemicals - that negatively affect health. The health of the EU population is also adversely affected by climate change, through heatwaves, floods and changes in the distribution of vector-borne diseases. At a broader level, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and land degradation can also impact on human well-being by threatening the delivery of ecosystem services, such as access to freshwater and food production.

Human health and well-being are intimately linked to the state of the environment. Good quality natural environments provide basic needs, in terms of clean air and water, fertile land for food production, and energy and material inputs for production. Green infrastructure also serves to regulate climate and prevent flooding. Access to green and blue spaces also provides important opportunities for recreation and supports well-being.

Air pollution is the single largest environmental health risk in Europe, and is associated with heart disease, stroke, lung disease and lung cancer. Exposure to air pollution is estimated to result in over 400 000 premature deaths in the EU each year. Noise exposure from transport sources and industry can lead to annoyance, sleep disturbance and related increases in the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
     

Exposure to hazardous chemicals is also a key concern. People can be exposed to a wide range of chemicals in their daily lives, via polluted air and water, consumer products and diet. The properties of certain hazardous chemicals cause them to persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in the food chain, which means there will be a considerable time lag before reductions in emissions translate into reduced exposure. In addition, the volume and range of chemicals in use today and the ongoing growth in chemical production suggests that human and environmental exposure will continue to increase. This raises concerns about the health effects of exposure to mixtures of chemicals over our lifetime, in particular during vulnerable life stages, such as early childhood, pregnancy and old age.

The impacts of climate change also pose immediate threats to health, in terms of heat waves and shifts in the patterns of infectious diseases and allergens.

In general, bathing water quality is of a high standard across the EU, with the quality of bathing waters consistently improving over time as a result of investment in the sewerage system, better waste water treatment and the reduction of pollution from farms.

A growing body of evidence suggests that environmental risks are not evenly distributed across society, but rather disproportionally affect socially disadvantaged and vulnerable population groups. An individual’s socioeconomic status influences their exposure to environmental stressors, since poorer people are more likely to live in degraded environments. Socially disadvantaged people may be more sensitive to the impacts of environmental stressors due to pre-existing health conditions, poor nutritional status and specific behaviours, such as smoking or inactivity. They may also face constraints in adapting to and avoiding environmental risks.