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The article offers information about awareness and promotion of public health as well as safer environment. It discusses the "Lancet" Commission on pollution and health, which is noted an important piece of work highlighting the impact that environmental pollution has on death and disease and the need to scale up political will in addressing the issue effectively, and the World Health Organisation's environmental burden of disease assessment.

Summary: It is now widely accepted that climate change is occurring as a result of the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere arising from the combustion of fossil fuels. Climate change may affect health through a range of pathways-eg, as a result of increased frequency and intensity of heat waves, reduction in cold-related deaths, increased floods and droughts, changes in the distribution of vector-borne diseases, and effects on the risk of disasters and malnutrition. The overall balance of effects on health is likely to be negative and populations in low-income countries are likely to be particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects. The experience of the 2003 heat wave in Europe shows that high-income countries might also be adversely affected. Adaptation to climate change requires public-health strategies and improved surveillance. Mitigation of climate change by reducing the use of fossil fuels and increasing the use of a number of renewable energy technologies should improve health in the near term by reducing exposure to air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the effects of air pollution on health and the environment in China. An overview of the link between China's economic growth and the increase in its energy consumption is provided. Also discussed are the factors contributing to the increase in emissions of air pollutants and carbon dioxide in China, challenges in the prevention and control of environmental pollution and the National Plan on Air Pollution Control in Key Regions under the 12th Five-Year Plan of China.

The author comments on a new policy package announced by the European Commission in December 2013 that is aimed at cleaning up Europe's air by 2030. The author believes that the policy seems sensible because of the damaging effects of air pollution on health. The author discusses the national emission ceilings proposed for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, methane, non-methane volatile organic compounds, ammonia and particulate matter as well as the financial costs of reducing air pollution.

Reports on the release of an action plan by the European Commission to decrease the adverse health effects of environmental factors. Expectation that the plan will be adopted; Structure of the plan to assess health problems which result from environmental pollution; Key aspect which is to monitor environmental exposure to dangerous substances and quantify biological effects through measurements of biomarkers in human samples; Other features of the initiative.