Most European citizens living in urban areas are still exposed to air pollution levels well beyond the limits recommended by the WHO, with adverse effects on health and the economy, according to a report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) on Wednesday 16 October.
It is based on the latest data from more than 4,000 monitoring stations in Europe in 2017 and highlights that particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ground-level ozone (O3) are the most harmful.
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) alone caused some 412,000 premature deaths in 41 European countries in 2016, including 374,000 in the EU, the EEA points out.
Compared to WHO recommendations, long-term concentrations of fine particulate matter were, in 2017, too high at 69% of monitoring stations and at least at some stations in all reporting countries except Estonia, Finland and Norway.
Compared to EU limit values, concentrations of fine particulate matter were too high in seven EU Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria). In addition, four countries (Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) have not yet reached the EU's 2015 three-year average exposure target for fine particulate matter.
Road transport, power plants, industry, agriculture and households are the main sources of air pollutants. These sources are also responsible for greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.
The EEA confirms that binding regulations and local measures improve air quality in Europe (fine particulate matter caused around 17,000 fewer premature deaths in the EU in 2016 than in 2015).
“It is simply unacceptable that any of us should need to worry about whether the simple act of breathing is safe or not. We therefore need to work even harder to make sure our EU air quality standards are met everywhere”, comments European Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella.
The Commission will organise the second EU Clean Air Forum on 28-29 November in Bratislava, Slovakia, which will address financing mechanisms for energy, agriculture and air quality.
“It’s time to speed up the changes in our energy, food and mobility systems to put us on a trajectory of sustainability and a healthy environment”, adds EEA Executive Director Hans Bruyninckx, building on the European Green Deal promised by Ursula von der Leyen.
Margherita Tolotto of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) deplores the slow pace of national action: “Where are the national programmes to cut air pollution? EU legislation is there to protect us from harmful pollutants, yet one out of three governments are ignoring their legal obligations and failing to deliver clean air. People all over Europe deserve better than this.” (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)