Care for the environment is care for ourselves
This article is created for the project “Efivos in Europe”
Authors: Daniela Taneva and Steven Asenov
Caring for the environment is caring for ourselves. We can find joy in the fact that today’s generations of Europeans live longer and healthier lives than ever before. Some of these positive changes are largely due to progress in environmental policies. Reducing air pollution, improving the quality of drinking water and sanitation, as well as limiting the use of some of the most harmful substances, have a positive impact on our health.
We are still learning how to reduce the consequences of global warming and other hazards, and one of Europe’s most ambitious goals in this regard is to reduce harmful emissions, which can help us avoid the most severe consequences of climate change.
More than one in ten premature deaths in the EU are linked to environmental pollution. Additionally, many citizens cannot lead a fulfilling life as they struggle with diseases related to pollution, such as cardiovascular diseases. Poor air quality remains a huge health hazard in Europe. Noise pollution is a growing problem that proves to be difficult to address. We continue to produce and consume large quantities of chemicals, some of which harm the environment and our health. And the consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly severe, leading to water shortages, heatwaves, major forest fires, and floods. These hazards disproportionately affect the most vulnerable in our society, including children, the elderly, and people with limited financial resources or chronic illnesses. Health is directly linked to environmental protection.
European environmental policy is based on precautionary measures, preventive actions, as well as the “polluter pays” principle. The EU is faced with complex environmental challenges, including climate change and loss of biodiversity, resource depletion, and pollution of air, soil, and water.
For several years now, environmental policies have taken a central place in the strategies and policies of the EU, and the European Commission began implementing the European Green Deal in 2019.
The European Green Deal is one of the most ambitious projects in the history of the Union. It represents a document with measures in various areas aimed at transforming Europe into the first continent with net-zero emissions by 2050. The ultimate goal is to promote the economic development of the EU without harming the environment and human health. This requires a fundamental transformation of the economy that is not at the expense of the environment, but in the interest of its preservation.
The beginning
The EU’s environmental policy traces back to October 1972, when the European Council in Paris convened, and national leaders rallied around the necessity of a community policy in the field of the environment to accompany economic policies, calling for the development of an action program. The Single European Act of 1987 introduced a new section “Environment,” providing the first legal basis for a common policy in the field of the environment aimed at preserving its quality, protecting human health, and ensuring the rational use of natural resources. With the Maastricht Treaty in 1993, the environment became an official area of EU policy.
The article was created as part of the CERV Efivos project in Europe. EFIVOS II program is funded by the European Commission (CERV), with partners Network Children’s Rights (Greece), CIP (Cyprus), HESED (Bulgaria), GEYC (Romania), Dedalus (Italy), Pacto Verde (Spain), Crossing Borders (Denmark).
The support of the European Commission for the preparation of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content. The publication reflects only the views of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use of the information contained therein.
