Rome, November 18th, 2020 - Air pollution and impacts on citizens' health, also in relation to the spread of Covid-19, are at the center of the study conducted by Novartis and Enel X and presented at the 37th ANCI-Associazione Nazionale Comuni Italiani Assembly, of which the two companies are partners.
During last year's ANCI Assembly, the two companies had signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate actively to improve air quality in cities, promoting awareness and information activities on the negative effects of air pollution on health.
This year's meeting, which was attended by Pasquale Frega, Country President and CEO of Novartis Farma and Carlo Tamburi, Director of Enel Italia, was an opportunity to confirm the strategic partnership launched on the issue of sustainability and present the results of a joint working group that has reinforced the link between health and environment in cities.
Novartis contributed by collecting and processing data from the scientific community that highlight the effects of air pollution on the health of citizens, mainly related to the onset of chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
A substantial part of this work also analyzed data related to the diffusion of Covid-19 in geographical areas where there is a higher concentration of particulate matter.
Enel X contributed to the realization of the study by preparing a new version of the algorithm e-Mobility Emission Saving tool, launched last year and revised on this occasion, through which it is possible to calculate the CO2 emissions of PMx and NOx avoided thanks to the use of electric vehicles. Starting from the kWh provided by the connected Enel X infrastructures, based on the average consumption of electric vehicles, it is possible to estimate the km travelled by BEVs and PHEVs. With this data, Enel X is able to calculate the CO2 emissions avoided by an average car in the Italian fleet. In addition to the altering climate emissions, the new tool is also able to measure particulate matter in its different dimensions (PMx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
"The collaboration with Novartis marks another concrete result; a Manifesto that addresses the problem of the high rate of air pollution in Italian cities by analyzing its causes and proposing remedies that can be implemented in the shortest possible time, also in view of the delicate period we are in due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Carlo Tamburi, Enel Italia Director. "Through Enel X’s algorithm e-Mobility Emission Saving tool we demonstrate the need to decisively focus on the spread of electric vehicles as an indispensable tool to make the air we breathe, especially in cities, cleaner thanks to the drastic reduction of CO2 emissions. This, together with the development of renewable energies, the digitization of distribution networks and the electrification of consumption, will contribute to the achievement of the challenging goals set by the UN 2030 Agenda."
"A year ago we took up the challenge of being among the first pharmaceutical companies to support the fight against air pollution as a tool for the prevention of chronic, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases," said Pasquale Frega, Country President and CEO of Novartis Farma. "Our all-around commitment to health protection is expressed as a priority in the development of innovative solutions that help patients to better manage these diseases but also by increasingly giving our contribution to fight the main cause of these diseases, namely air pollution. Moreover, scientists and researchers have highlighted the link between the concentration of fine dust particulates and other pollutants and the incidence of Sars-CoV2. We know that health and well-being are at the center of attention and concerns of citizens and governments. We intend to offer a perspective and a contribution on the importance of the link between health and environment, also in the future and when, after the most critical phase of this pandemic, we will be called together to rethink our cities and urban spaces."
Novartis is a leader in the field of health, research and development of highly innovative therapies for multiple chronic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, which are among the main challenges for public health, and is at the forefront in supporting prevention, diagnosis and therapeutic management activities that affect them.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for chronic cardiovascular and respiratory diseases that cause 2.4 and 1.8 million deaths worldwide every year, more than 60 thousand in Italy alone.
These data confirm that pollution has a decisive impact on public health and that the improvement of air quality, especially in urban centers, is a decisive factor for its protection.
It is an objective that, as the WHO and health authorities recall, can only be achieved through collaboration between all players involved, public and private, which allows to intervene in several areas, from mobility to prevention policies, from transport to communication.
Novartis
Novartis is interpreting medicine in a new way in order to improve and prolong people's lives. As one of the global leaders in the pharmaceutical industry, we use innovative scientific and digital technologies to create transformative therapies in areas with important medical needs. Committed to discovering new drugs, we are consistently among the world's leading companies in investing in research and development. Novartis products reach more than 800 million people globally and we work to identify innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. Globally, approximately 109,000 people of 145 different nationalities work at Novartis. Learn more at www.novartis.it and www.novartis.com. @NovartisItalia is also on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Novartis in Italy
With approximately 2,360 employees, Novartis is one of the largest companies in the pharmaceutical sector in Italy, with a solid leadership in the field of the most innovative therapies and in that of equivalent and biosimilar drugs. On the national scene, Novartis is among the companies most involved in Research & Development, in particular in clinical development activities, an area in which it has invested over 200 million euros in the last three years, and an important industrial reality, strongly export-oriented.
More information on www.novartis.it and www.novartis.com. @NovartisItalia is also on Twitter and LinkedIn.
ENEL X
Enel X is Enel's global business line dedicated to the development of innovative products and digital solutions in sectors where energy is showing the greatest potential for transformation: cities, homes, industries and electric mobility. The company is a global leader in the advanced energy solution sector, managing services such as demand response for around 6 GW of total capacity at global level and 116 MW of storage capacity installed worldwide, as well as a leading player in the electric mobility sector, with around 140,000 public and private EV charging points made available around the globe. Innovation and sustainability are at the heart of Enel X’s strategy since its inception, with circular economy being the perfect combination of these two elements, applied in many of Enel X products and services.