The European Respiratory Society (ERS), the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) and the Health Effects Institute (HEI) were delighted to host Clean Air in Europe for All - a one-day conference focused on air pollution.

We gathered international experts, policy makers, scientists and other key stakeholders to call for immediate and decisive action to tackle air quality in Europe. Among the topics for discussion were the recently proposed revisions to the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD). Looking at its strengths and weaknesses, this event identified remaining challenges and explored additional policy options.

View the full agenda here.

Part 1: 

Opening address and workshop

Hosted by Zorana J Andersen and Barbara Hoffmann, European Respiratory Society (ERS); Hanna Boogaard, Health Effects Institute (HEI) and International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) Europe

Opening address
Virginijus Sinkevicius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries (video address)
Opening address
Maria Neira, WHO Geneva (video address)
Opening address
Javi Lopez, EU Parliament, Rapporteur for the AAQD (video address)

Session 1

View presentation slides here
Proposal for revisions of the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD) and its potential to improve health in Europe
CHAIRS: Michal Krzyzanowski (Imperial College London) and Ebba Malmqvist (Lund University)

Proposed revisions to the Ambient Air Quality Directive
François Wakenhut or Thomas Henrichs, European Commission, Directorate General Environment

Air pollution levels and health burden in Europe

Alberto González Ortiz, Air Quality Expert

Clean Air Outlook: the prospects for EU air quality for 2030 and beyond
Gregor Kiesewetter, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis 

Part 2:

Session 2

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Reviewing the latest science on air pollution and health - part 1
CHAIRS: Hanna Boogaard (HEI and ISEE) and Klea Katsouyanni (Imperial College London)

Life after 2021 WHO AQG - What does science tell us?
Zorana J Andersen, University of Copenhagen and ERS

Effects of low-level air pollution: A study in Europe, and a harmonized analysis with large studies in Canada and the United States
Bert Brunekreef, Utrecht University

Beyond mortality: summarising important health effects of air pollution across the life-course
• Pregnancy and childhood
Erik Melen, Karolinska Institutet and ERS
• Cognitive development and neurologic disorders
Barbara Hoffmann, University of Düsseldorf and ERS
• Cardiovascular disease
Petter Ljungman, Karolinska Institutet, ISEE, and European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
• Cancer
Michelle Turner, ISGlobal and ISEE

Session 3

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Moderated discussion - how to maximise public health benefits to ensure clean air in Europe for all
Moderator: Margherita Tolotto, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
Panel: Francesco Forastiere, Imperial College London; Paul Dendale, European Society of Cardiology (ESC); Richard Price, European Cancer Organization (ECO); Ole Bakke, Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME); Sibylle Reichert, International Association of Mutual Benefit Societies (AIM) 

Part 3:

Session 4

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Reviewing the latest science on air pollution and health - part 2
Chairs: Gerard Hoek (Utrecht University) and Göran Pershagen (Karolinska Institutet)

Pollutants of "emerging concern": Current state of knowledge
Annette Peters, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich

Pollutants from "natural" sources: Innocent bystanders or harmful pollutants?
Xavier Querol, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research

Citizen science perspective: New avenues for research and action
Anna Gerometta, Italian Cittadini per l'aria Association 

Part 4:

Session 5

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Solutions - national and local level perspectives towards clean air
Chairs: Evi Samoli (University of Athens) and Iana Markevych (Jagiellonian University)

City-specific actions towards clean air
Romain Basthiste, Deputy Head of Air Quality Unit, city of Paris

Best practices towards clean air 

Haneen Khreis, University of Cambridge

Air quality and health in Southeastern Europe to inform policy action
Pallavi Pant, HEI

Session 6

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Moderated discussion - clean air in Europe for all: where do we need to go from here?
Moderators: Mark Nieuwenhuijsen (ISGlobal and ISEE)

Panel: Francois Wakenhut or Thomas Henrichs, European Commission, Directorate General Environment; Jason Sacks (US Environmental Protection Agency; Alex Simidchiev (Bulgarian National Assembly (Parliament); Kjeld Hansen (European Lung Foundation); Thomas Lymes (Eurocities); Anne Stauffer (Health and Environment Alliance); Jacob Hagberg (Swedish Presidency)