EXHAUSTION White Paper: Exposure to heat and air pollution in Europe. Important findings and recommendations

This White Paper which includes five stand-alone chapters, explores how the effects of heatwaves, air pollution and a changing climate lead to more heart and lung diseases in Europe, and premature deaths related to these challenges. The aim of the project has been to identify adaptation strategies that will help avoid premature death and disease among vulnerable groups. This includes older people, the chronically ill, and disadvantaged people. The overall goal was to increase European resilience.

Key policy recommendations include:

• The role of air pollution on days with high temperatures or during the heatwaves needs to be considered in the context of climate change adaptation, such as in heat-health action plans, especially addressing vulnerable groups and areas at risk.

• Potential co-exposure to air pollution should be considered in the updating of guidance for developing and implementing national, regional and local heat-health action plans, according to their specific context.

• New knowledge on the health effects of high temperatures and heatwaves, interactions between temperature and air pollution and implications for specific vulnerable population groups needs to be integrated into the education and training of medical professionals.