WHO Regional Office for Europe European Centre for Environment and Health Transport, Environment and Health About Transport, Environment and Health Main Activities Contacts Related sites About Transport, Environment and Health Many European countries are being confronted with conflicting needs of transport policies .
Transport facilitates access to activities and services, and has a key role in the economy.
On the other hand there is mounting concern about the detrimental impact on the environment of current transport policies and questions about their social sustainability. Some of the effects on human health of transport and land use strategies are already well known, such as injuries and annoyance from traffic noise. Evidence of direct effects of air pollutants on mortality, respiratory and cardiovascular disease has also emerged in the last few years. The wide range and seriousness of the health impacts anticipated from climate change is increasingly evident. Sedentary lifestyle, one of the two most important risk factors for non-communicable diseases and early mortality in Western populations, is associated with the use of motor vehicles.