Stakeholder Needs for Air Pollution and Health Information

Abstract

Within the European Commission-supported thematic network project AIRNET, a stakeholder survey was performed to identify key questions and issues of concern for end users regarding air pollution and health information. On the whole, survey respondents typically asked general questions concerning air pollution and health (i.e., regarding the type of pollutant, emission sources, monitoring, and health impact). Furthermore, an overwhelming response across all stakeholder categories was not the unavailability of information sources to inform policy, but the lack of time available to read and absorb all the information. Overall, the respondents expressed their preference for information that is (1) presented as short and clear overviews, (2) ready for policy use by including a practical linkage between the research findings and implementation of public protection, and (3) in a format easily passed on to others.

AIRNET is an EC-funded project initiated within the Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources program of the European Commission (QLRT-2001-00441, Key Action 4, Environment and Health). We thank all the people who took part in this survey and took time to complete the questionnaire. We gratefully thank the following people who made valuable contributions, comments, and suggestions throughout the whole survey process: Edith Rameckers (European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Association), André Zuber (Directorate General Environment, European Commission), Peter van den Hazel (International Society of the Doctors for the Environment), Sylvia Medina (Institut de veille sanitaire), and the entire AIRNET management team.