Strategies for Clean Air and Health∗

∗This statement is not a consensus document and may not reflect the views of all conference delegates. All comments received and responses to comments are available at http://www.irr-neram.ca. This documentation provides insight into stakeholder perspectives on issues underlying the development of strategies for clean air and health.

Abstract

An international colloquium, “Strategies for Clean Air and Health,” was organized by the Network of Environmental Risk Assessment and Management (NERAM) and the AIRNET European Network on Air Pollution and Health to identify directions for air quality policy development and research priorities to improve public health. A conference statement was prepared to provide guidance from the perspective of an international group of scientists, regulators, industries, and interest groups on a path forward to improve the interface between science and clean air policy strategies to protect public health. The statement represents the main findings of two breakout group discussion sessions, supported by perspectives of keynote speakers from North America and Europe on science–policy integration and views of the delegates expressed in plenary discussions. NERAM undertook a carefully considered process to try to ensure that the statement would accurately reflect the conference discussions, including documentation of supporting comments from the proceedings and inviting delegates' comments on two draft versions of the statement.

Notes

∗This statement is not a consensus document and may not reflect the views of all conference delegates. All comments received and responses to comments are available at http://www.irr-neram.ca. This documentation provides insight into stakeholder perspectives on issues underlying the development of strategies for clean air and health.

∗Emission standards set by the U.S. EPA in 1999 for all cars, light trucks, and larger passenger vehicles, including sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and passenger vans to reduce NOx and nonmethane organic gases. Full compliance should be achieved by 2009, with phase-in based on vehicle class. Also establishes limits on sulfur concentrations in gasoline.

∗The CONSORT statement facilitates critical appraisal and interpretation of randomized, controlled trials (RCT) by providing guidance to authors about how to improve the reporting of their trials. The statement consists of a checklist and flow diagram that authors can use for reporting an RCT. Many leading medical journals and major international editorial groups have adopted the CONSORT statement.