Sustainability Institute researchers play leading role in the Climate and Health Alliance position paper to address the health threat from air pollution

2 Mar 2026

Public health coalition, the Climate and Health Alliance (CHA), announced the publication of ‘Clean Air — Healthier Ireland’ at an event on Tuesday 17th February in the Oireachtas. UCC Sustainability Institute researchers Dr Marica Cassarino (School of Applied Psychology) and Dr Dean Venables (School of Chemistry) played leading roles in writing the position paper and were present at its launch in the Oireachtas.

The report (available here) outlines that air pollution has no safe level and contributes to heart and lung disease, stroke, dementia, pregnancy complications as well as mental health issues. It urges government action to address this invisible health threat. The event was hosted by Deputy Jennifer Whitmore of the Social Democrats, who called for urgent, collaborative action across government to reduce harmful emissions and protect people. “Clean air shouldn’t depend on where you live or what you earn, it’s a basic right that the Government has a duty to protect’’ she said.

Commenting on the paper, Mark Murphy of the Climate & Health Alliance said, “‘Clean air is a fundamental human right, yet over 1,600 people in Ireland die prematurely each year from fine particulate matter produced largely by burning solid fuels. This is nearly ten times the annual number of road deaths in our country”. Ireland regularly fails to meet levels of air quality deemed safe to health by the WHO, in large part because of our over-reliance on burning solid fuels for heating and on private vehicles for transport.

Cork City Council social inclusion specialist, Martha Halbert, spoke about over her grave concern of the health impact of air pollution on vulnerable communities in Cork City and on that of her daughter living with asthma: ‘Poor air quality has come to represent a threat to my children’s health and that of many others in the communities I serve. I hope that this report and its very clear recommendations can bring about real and lasting change for everyone, but especially those in our communities who are most vulnerable’

The CHA paper points to successful examples, such as the ban on smoky coal and wet wood, as evidence that strong policy can improve air quality. However, Ireland is still far from meeting updated WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines. The CHA’s position paper calls for accelerated action across government, including:

· Increasing public understanding and awareness of air pollution as a major health risk

· Empowering local authorities to enforce air quality standards, stamping out importation of smoky coal, and  bringing in sustainable practices for housing and active travel.

· Promoting and investing in healthy and sustainable transport options

· Legislating ‘No Idling’ policies for vehicles outside schools, third level institutions and health service campuses, a policy that UCC has already adopted.

The Climate and Health Alliance’s chair, Dr Sean Owens, noted that political courage was needed to face the public health crisis of air pollution but that doing so would bring multiple physical and mental health benefits. It would also help the HSE by removing the burden of air-pollution related illnesses. “Air pollution is not inevitable. Cleaner air is possible, and the health, economic, and societal benefits are enormous” he said.