Press Release | Tuesday, 11 June 2019
Five National Academies hand over science-policy statement on air pollution and health
Media Alert
Clean air is as vital to life on earth as clean water. Currently, air pollution is estimated to contribute to several million premature deaths each year across the world. In light of the urgency of this crisis, five National Academies of Sciences and Medicine from South Africa, Brazil, Germany and the U.S. call for action on reducing air pollution. The first outcome of this initiative is a compact science-policy statement, which will be handed over in a ceremony to senior UN representatives and high-level diplomats from South Africa, Brazil, Germany, and the United States of America.
Launch Event
Wednesday, 19 June 2019, 3pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
Conference Room 6
U.N. Headquarters New York
Control and reduction of air pollution should be a priority for all, including governments, businesses and civil society. To this end, the Academy of Science of South Africa, the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences have started an initiative on “Air Pollution and Health”.
The five academies brought together leading scientists from South Africa, Brazil, Germany, and the United States as well as representatives of the UN and civil society, several of whom will be present at the event. These include Phil Landrigan, Professor of Biology and Director, Program in Global Public Health and the Common Good, Boston College; Paulo Saldiva, Director, Institute of Advanced Studies, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Jean Krutmann, Scientific Director, Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany; and Caradee Wright, Specialist Scientist, South African Medical Research Council.
Following the launch, the statement will be available in all official UN languages as well as in German and Portuguese from the website www.air-pollution.health.
To join the event, please register before 13 June.
Contact:
Dr. Kathrin Happe
Deputy Head of Department Science – Policy – Society
National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
phone: +49 (0)345 472 39 – 862
email: kathrin.happe@leopoldina.org
Dr. Jan Nissen
Senior Officer, Department International Relations
National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
phone: +49 (0)345 472 39 – 834
email: jan.nissen@leopoldina.org
