Poor quality environments contribute to 13 % (one in every eight) of deaths in Europe, according to a recent report of the European Environment Agency (EEA).

This is based on the most recent World Health Organization environmental burden of disease data for 2012. 

These deaths could be prevented by eliminating environmental risks to health and reversing environmental degradation, according to the document.

The report found “a significant discrepancy” between the east and the west of Europe. The highest proportion of deaths attributable to the environment is recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina (27%), and the lowest in Norway and Iceland (9%).

In the EU, the highest environmental contribution to mortality is seen in Romania (19%) and the lowest in Sweden and Denmark (10%), the report found.

In terms of the absolute number of deaths attributable to the environment in the EU-28, 630,000 deaths were attributed to the environment in 2012.

“There is a clear link between the state of the environment and the health of our population. Everyone must understand that by taking care of our planet we are not only saving ecosystems but also lives, especially the ones who are the most vulnerable,” Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, said.

The report, titled 'Healthy environment, healthy lives: how the environment influences health and well-being in Europe,' highlights how social deprivation, unhealthy behaviors, and shifting demographics in Europe influence environmental health, with the most vulnerable hardest hit.

The full report is available here.

(Photo: Marian Mocanu | Dreamstime.com)

simona@romania-insider.com