The sun continuously emits radiation. Part of it is ultraviolet radiation (UV radiation). UV radiation is not visible to the naked eye, and only some of it passes through the atmosphere and reaches the ground. Yet exposure to the radiation does have health effects.

Climate change and air quality strongly influence each other. RIVM measures and calculates the levels of air pollution in the Netherlands and studies the effects of air pollution and climate change on nature and health.

Climate change has all kinds of effects on the environment, plants, animals, and humans. Climate change may cause species of plants and animals to shift: where they occur, when they occur, and their numbers. This also affects the risks of infectious diseases that people in our country can contract. This mainly concerns infectious diseases that are transmitted through animals, such as mosquitoes or through (contaminated) water. Examples include Lyme disease, West Nile fever or Legionellosis.

With the change in climate, people are more exposed to allergens from pollen, moths and the dust mite. Allergens are substances that can trigger allergic reactions, such as hay fever. Approximately 15 to 20 percent of the Dutch population suffers from allergic symptoms. For this reason, the impact of climate change on health effects due to allergens is considerable.

The climate is changing and this process will continue in the coming years. Climate change has an effect on people's health. Examples of effects include increases in heat stress, changes in air and water quality, and an increase in infectious diseases and allergies. Various measures are being taken to prevent further climate change (mitigation) or measures to limit its negative effects (adaptation). On this page, RIVM brings together the scientific knowledge on this subject, starting with adaptation.

Taking samples from sewage all across the Netherlands makes it possible to investigate the spread of the coronavirus. Coronavirus monitoring in sewage research is a way to detect the virus quickly and intervene. This video explains how sewage surveillance works.

The Vaccination Study on the Coronavirus (VASCO) is researching the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccinations in the population of the Netherlands. How effectively do the different types of vaccines offer protection against the coronavirus?

On this page, RIVM provides a weekly update on Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in the Netherlands every Wednesday.