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Most European city dwellers are exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution. Improving air quality to match World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended levels could prevent more than half of premature deaths caused by exposure to fine particulate matter.
Air pollution emissions have declined in the last two decades, resulting in better air quality. Despite this improvement, air pollution remains the largest environmental health risk in Europe. Exposure to fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide levels above the World Health Organization recommendations cause an estimated 253,000 and 52,000 premature deaths, respectively, in 2021. These pollutants are linked to asthma, heart disease and stroke.
Air pollution also causes morbidity. People live with diseases related to exposure to air pollution; this is a burden in terms of personal suffering as well as significant costs to the healthcare sector.
Society’s most vulnerable are more susceptible to air pollution impacts. Lower socio-economic groups tend to be exposed to higher levels of air pollution, while older people, children and those with pre-existing health conditions are more susceptible. Over 1,200 deaths in people under 18 years of age are estimated to be caused by air pollution every year in EEA member and collaborating countries.
Besides health issues, air pollution can considerably impact Europe’s economy due to increased healthcare costs, reduced life expectancy, and lost working days across sectors. It also damages vegetation and ecosystems, water and soil quality, and local ecosystems.
Across the EU, it is common to have air pollution levels that are higher than the latest WHO recommendations. Still, there are signs of improvement.
- In 2022, 96% of the urban population was exposed to concentrations of fine particulate matter above the health-based guideline level set by the World Health Organization.
- Over 1,200 deaths in people under 18 years of age are estimated to be caused by air pollution every year in EEA member and collaborating countries[1] .
- Data from 2021 show that Central-eastern Europe and Italy reported the highest concentrations of particulate matter, primarily due to the burning of solid fuels for domestic heating and their use in industry.
- All EU countries reported levels of ozone and nitrogen dioxide above the health-based guideline levels set by the World Health Organization.
- Overall, 97% of the EU’s urban population was exposed to levels of fine particulate matter above the latest guidelines set by WHO in 2021.
- In 2022, 16 Member States met their respective 2020-2029 national emission reduction commitments under the EU’s National Emission reduction Commitments Directive (NECD) for each of the five main pollutants (nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds, ammonia, sulphur dioxide and fine particulate matter), according to the latest EEA assessment. Eleven Member States failed to do so for at least one of five main air pollutants.
- Reducing ammonia emissions remains the biggest challenge: they have decreased only slightly in many Member States since 2005 and in some cases have increased.The agriculture sector is the principal source, responsible for 93% of total ammonia emissions
Since the 1980s, the EU has adopted strict policies on air quality. The EU’s Ambient Air Quality Directives set air quality standards for 12 air pollutants. These directives also define common methods to monitor, assess and inform the public on ambient air quality in the EU. The European Commission has proposed an updated Directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, with a key goal being to bring EU standards closer to recommendations from the WHO.
To see where we are in relation to these goals, a network of more than 4,000 air quality monitoring stations creates reliable, objective, comparable information on air quality. When levels are above the limit or target values, Member States are expected to prepare an air quality plan or programme that addresses responsible sources and ensures compliance.
The Zero Pollution Action Plan also sets the 2030 target of improving air quality, with a focus on PM2.5, in order to reduce the number of premature deaths caused by air pollution in the EU by a minimum of 55%, relative to those in 2005.
The National Emission reduction Commitments Directive sets national emission reduction commitments for Member States and the EU for five important air pollutants: nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). These pollutants contribute to poor air quality, leading to significant negative impacts on human health and the environment.
The EEA supports these policies through data, indicators and assessments, including the annual air quality report and the zero pollution monitoring assessment.
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Premature deaths in the EU in 2021
253,000
from chronic exposure to fine particulate matter
52,000
from chronic nitrogen dioxide exposure
22,000
from acute ozone exposure
Source: EEA, 2023, 'Harm to human health from air pollution in Europe: burden of disease 2023'.
Reducing emissions of air pollutants in Europe
Europe has put in place legislation to reduce emissions from harmful air pollutants. The National Emission reduction Commitments Directive (NECD) sets national emission reduction commitments for Member States and the EU for five important air pollutants: nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). These pollutants contribute to poor air quality, leading to significant negative impacts on human health and the environment.
Every year, the EEA publishes the most recent reported data and a briefing on the EU Member States' progress in meeting their emission reduction commitments.
In 2022, 16 Member States met their respective 2020-2029 national emission reduction commitments under the EU’s National Emission reduction Commitments Directive (NECD) for each of the five main pollutants (nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds, ammonia, sulphur dioxide and fine particulate matter), according to the EEA assessment. Eleven Member States failed to do so for at least one of five main air pollutants.
Reducing ammonia emissions remains the biggest challenge: nine Member States need to cut their 2022 emission levels to fulfil their 2020-2029 reduction commitments. The agriculture sector is the principal source, responsible for 93% of total ammonia emissions according to the EEA assessment. Ammonia emissions have decreased only slightly in many Member States since 2005 and in some cases have increased.
Javier Arcenillas, ImaginAIR/EEA
Check air quality at any time: European Air Quality Index & App
How clean is the air you’re breathing right now?
The European Air Quality Index provides information on the current air quality situation based on measurements from more than 2000 air quality monitoring stations across Europe.
The Index allows citizens to use an interactive map to check the air quality at station level, based on five key pollutants that harm people's health and the environment: namely particulate matter (both PM2.5 and PM10), ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide.
The index is also available as an app for mobile phones in all EU languages.
Air quality in your city: how clean is it compared to other European cities?
ImageNeli Petrova, Well with Nature /EEA
The costs to health and the environment from industrial air pollution
Air pollution from large European industry continues to cause significant damage to the environment, climate and people’s health.
The analysis shows that just a small fraction of the most polluting facilities — many of them coal power plants — causes half of the total damage.
However, the EEA analysis also shows that environmental and health costs of European industry have decreased by a third (-33%) from 2012 to 2021. The EU energy sector has accounted for the vast majority — about 80% — of the total decrease.
Share of the EU urban population exposed to air pollutant concentrations above certain EU standards and WHO guidelines in 2022
Notes: Exposure above EU standards: the EU urban population is exposed to PM2.5 annual concentrations above 25µg/m3; PM10 daily concentrations above 50µg/m3 for more than 35 days per year; O3 maximum daily 8-hour mean concentrations above 120µg/m3 for more than 25 days per year; NO2 annual concentrations above 40µg/m3; Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) annual concentrations above 1ng/m3; and sulphur dioxide (SO2) daily concentrations above 125µg/m3 for more than three days per year.
Exposure above WHO guidelines: the EU urban population is exposed to PM2.5 annual concentrations above 5µg/m3; PM10 annual concentrations above 15µg/m3; O3 maximum daily 8-hour mean concentrations exceeding 100µg/m3 for more than 3-4 days per year; NO2 annual concentrations above 10µg/m3; BaP annual concentrations above 0.12ng/m3; and SO2 daily concentrations above 40µg/m3 for more than three or four days per year.
Source: EEA, 2024.