A Breath of “Fair” Air: Combatting Indoor Air Inequality across Europe and Beyond

Access to healthy indoor air often serves as a proxy for income inequality, with low-income groups disproportionately affected by poor air quality. Globally, communities with the lowest income (less than $1.90) tend to rely on low-cost fuels such as charcoal, kerosene, and firewood for cooking and heating. The use of such fuels results in high levels of indoor air pollution, contributing to significant health risks. 

While this issue is more prominent in low-income countries, it is not exclusive to them. Some marginalised and lower-income communities in Europe, also face significant challenges. For instance, a Clean Air Fund study conducted in Fakulteta, Bulgaria, a large Roma settlement, reported widespread use of dirt coal for heating, leading to high rates of pollution-related health issues, particularly respiratory problems among children. Other studies also point to stark disparities. In the Netherlands, a study published by Lancet, revealed that minority ethnic groups experienced 3% to 44% higher exposure to NO2 and 1% to 9% higher PM2.5 pollution compared to the ethnic Dutch population. 

Healthy air is also recognised as a fundamental right in the constitutions of 19 European Union countries with equal access enshrined for all citizens. In this context, INQUIRE’s and EDIAQI’s  upcoming webinar aims to address the following overarching questions

• Why do low-income households or underserved communities often face worse indoor air quality?
• What sets of actions from economic, societal, and political perspectives are necessary to address indoor air inequality?
• How can the IDEAL Cluster project ensure that low-income communities have equal access to healthy indoor air in the push to improve indoor air quality?
• How does recognising healthy air as a fundamental right influence policymaking and enforcement in Europe?