Webinar Series on Air Pollution and Health in SE Europe

October 1, 2021 to February 2, 2022

The majority of the population across Southeast Europe live in areas where air pollution concentrations are high, and in many EU candidate countries, the annual World Health Organization guideline set to protect public health for fine particulate matter is exceeded. This is especially true in the winter months due to an increase in household heating sources, including low-quality lignite coal-fired thermal power plants. While some progress towards cleaner air has been made in the region, there is a need for data and evidence on air pollution levels and health effects to inform policy and action that would ensure access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking, heating, lighting in households.

This webinar series aims to:

  • Review the status of current evidence on the health effects of air pollution in the region and its interlinkage to current policy debate and actions.
  • Provide a platform to address major air quality and health-related questions in SE Europe, including the status of current evidence and policy directives.
  • Discuss the accessibility and usability of the air quality and health data streams to enable use in research and build a regional evidence base.

Please note that the times listed below are in CET.

Sessions: 

Webinar 1: Global and regional evidence on health effects of air pollution: The case of SE Europe

Oct. 1, 2021 - 2:30pm
4:00pm
Europe/Brussels

Ambient air pollution continues to be a major public health risk in Southeast Europe, leading to increased hospitalizations and premature death. In fact, the region experiences the highest rates of mortality due to air pollution across Europe. This webinar, the first in a series of three, will bring together physicians and public health experts to review the status of current global evidence on health effects of air pollution and highlight completed and ongoing air quality-health research studies from the region.

The goal of this webinar is to review the status of current evidence on the health effects of air pollution in the region and its interlinkage to current policy debate and actions.

Co-Chairs: Dr. Mira Jovanovski Dasic, SEEHN Secretariat & Ms. Vlatka Matkovic, HEAL

Watch the webinar

2:30 PM Welcome

2:35 PM Opening remarks

2:45 PM Perspectives on health effects of air pollution

3:00 PM Q&A

3:10 PM Evidence from Southeast Europe on health effects of air pollution: Showcase of health research conducted

3:40 PM Q&A/Discussion

3:50 PM Closing Remarks

3:58 PM Thank You

4:00 PM Webinar Ends

Webinar 2: Status of air quality & health data streams – accessibility and usability across SE Europe

Dec. 1, 2021 - 2:30pm
4:30pm
Europe/Brussels

Understanding the burden of disease that air pollution places on society begins with scientific evidence on its effects on health. Such evidence, in turn, can bolster targeted policymaking and public engagement. Using examples from the region, this webinar will discuss various opportunities to utilize available air quality and health datasets to understand the health effects of exposure to air pollution. Speakers will also address key needs in these data streams necessary to strengthen air pollution-health evidence regionally and nationally.

This is the second webinar in the SE Europe Webinar Series organized by the Health Effects Institute and is co-hosted with the ISEE-Europe chapter.

Co-Chairs: Drs. Dragan Gjorgjev, University Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, N. Macedonia, and Hanna Boogaard, HEI/ISEE-EU

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2:30 PM Welcome

2:35 PM Chair remarks

2:40 PM Leveraging ground monitoring, satellite and modelling data to fill gaps in air quality data

2:55 PM Availability of local air quality data

3:10 PM Utilizing survey data to analyze the association between exposure to air pollution and health effects: A case study from Serbia

3:30 PM Q&A

4:00 PM Webinar ends

Webinar 3: The role of scientific and other evidence in informing Southeast European regional and national air quality legislation

Feb. 2, 2022 - 2:30pm
4:30pm
Europe/Brussels

Watch the webinar

Given the current review of the EU air quality legislation, this webinar will examine the most effective utilization of air quality and health evidence to inform policy action most beneficial to public health in the region. Using European, regional and national examples, speakers will discuss the types of (scientific) evidence informing policies, and avenues to spur action across EU and non-EU member countries.


This is the third and final webinar in the Southeast Europe Webinar Series organized by the Health Effects Institute and is co-hosted with the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD). 
 

Session Chair: Garret Patrick Kelly, SEE Change Net

Panel Moderator: Michal Krzyzanowski, Imperial College London

2:30 PM Open and welcome

2:35 PM Preview: Spatial bibliography

2:40 PM Chair remarks

2:45 PM Context-setting session: How does scientific (and other) evidence influence policymaking?

2:45 PM European perspective: How has scientific evidence helped inform air quality policy?

2:55 PM Regional perspective: Lessons learned from the National Air Protection Program

3:05 PM Bulgarian perspective: The energy poverty-air pollution conundrum

3:15 PM Q&A

3:25 PM Introduction to the panel

3:30 PM Panel Discussion
  • Srđjan Kukolj
    , HEAL
  • Kostantsa Rangelova
    , CSD
  • Stefan Åström
    , Swedish Environmental Research Institute
  • Danijela Božanić
    , Climate Change Expert, Climate Action Consulting, Serbia

4:25 PM Closing remarks

4:30 PM Webinar ends
Location
Online Webinar
Boston, MA 02110
United States

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