A European Parliament Conference on Air Pollution and Clean Mobility co-hosted by MEP Seb Dance, MEP Keith Taylor and Bellona Europa

Bellona Conference 'Going Electric Towards Cleaner and Healthier Cities', European Parliament, 23 Nov 2017 Credit: Bellona

On 23 November at 09:00 Bellona Europa will be co-organising together with MEP Seb Dance (S&D) and MEP Keith Taylor (Greens), a conference on air pollution and clean mobility in the European Parliament. 

Focus of the conference:

One in three Europeans living in cities today endure air quality deemed illegal under EU air quality standards: this entails significant financial and economic implications, in terms of increased expenditures on hospital charges, public health spending, reduced labor productivity and pre-mature deaths. Road transport is to blame for the lion’s share of health damaging local air pollution, being the largest source of NOx emissions as well as particulate matter. A recent Bellona report finds that if this heavy, yet unaccounted for, human health cost was to be borne by fossil auto makers we would see a doubling in the average internal combustion engine (ICE) car’s sticker price. This unaffordable personal and economic cost of air pollution underscores the need for strong policy action on EU, national and local levels.

This conference will take a closer look at the role of public authorities in tackling the air pollution-induced human health crisis through stimulating the uptake of zero emission mobility. World-wide 557,000 cities and communities spend roughly €4 trillion per year; the equivalent of 10% of global GDP. This makes cities key to boosting demand for sustainable zero emission mobility. The ongoing revision of the Clean Vehicles Directive offers a once-in-a-decade opportunity to redesign existing EU legislation into a user-friendly and effective tool for the procurement of zero emission electric vehicles and paving the way for cleaner, healthier cities.

AGENDA:

09:15     Opening remarks Host MEP, Keith Taylor (Greens Group)

09:25     The tremendous human health cost of conventionally fueled road transport, and how public authorities can play a catalytic role in stirring the market for electro-mobility? Jonas Helseth, Director of Bellona Europa

09:35     A closer look at the city we live in: reflecting citizens’ voices in local and EU legislation. Lievin Chemin, Mobility & Air Quality, Brussels Citizens’ Initiative, BRAL

09:45     Transitioning from niche to mainstream: Getting the right regulatory framework in place & creating supply & demand for clean mobility. Felix von Pechmann, Head of Electric Bus Programme, RATP

09:55     Panel discussion and Q&A (25 mins)

Jef Van Damme, Member of Brussels Parliament (Socialists Group)

Jose Fernandez Garcia, Policy Officer, Clean Transport and Sustainable Urban Mobility, DG MOVE, European Commission

Representative from the Permanent Representation of Denmark to the EU

10:20     Closing remarks Host MEP, Seb Dance (S&D Group)

Moderated by Teodora Serafimova, Policy Manager Electro-Mobility at Bellona Europa

Coffee & tea will be served.

For registration, click here or contact teodora@bellona.org