Air pollution and inequality in focus at ERS Brussels event

Air pollution remains a major health issue across Europe, with exposure and impact still unevenly felt.

Earlier this week, Michaela Regan, EU Policy and Engagement Manager at Lung Cancer Europe, attended the European Respiratory Society event “The EU’s ambition for zero air pollution: more a dream than a reality?” in Brussels on behalf of the organisation. The event brought together policymakers, researchers, patients and civil society to look at inequalities in environmental exposure and discuss what is needed to better protect health across Europe.

Organised by the European Respiratory Society, the event focused on a key question: who is most exposed to harmful air, and why are the health consequences still so uneven? According to the organisers, some groups continue to face greater respiratory risks from pollution, climate impacts and emerging contaminants, including children, people on low incomes, rural communities and workers in high-exposure sectors.

The programme explored the gap between political ambition and action on air pollution, unequal exposure across and within countries, the role of housing and urban policy, and what practical steps are needed to reduce environmental health inequalities. ERS said the event was intended to support Member States with evidence and discussion to help identify solutions that protect health and reduce disparities.

For Lung Cancer Europe, this is an important discussion to follow. Air quality, environmental exposure and lung health are closely linked, and prevention needs to be part of the wider conversation around lung disease and long-term outcomes.

While this event was not focused specifically on lung cancer, the issues raised are relevant to the wider lung health landscape and to ongoing policy discussions about inequality, prevention and public health across Europe. This last point is an inference based on the event focus and Lung Cancer Europe’s broader policy interest in lung health and inequalities.

Michaela’s attendance reflects Lung Cancer Europe’s interest in following wider European health policy discussions that may have implications for people affected by lung conditions and for efforts to reduce avoidable inequalities across Europe.