A Breath of Fresh Air for This Country (Literally!)

For the first time, 2024 saw Germany comply with the European Union’s air pollutant limit standards.

Over 600 national measuring stations revealed that Germany is within the European Union pollutant limits for particulate mater, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone.

The European Union air pollutant standards were set back in 2010, but Germany did not successfully fall within the limit until 2024. Several measures, such as the introduction of driving bans, the imposition of speed limits, and the growing number of electric cars, have helped Germany reach compliance. Many major cities in the country, such as Munich, have also electrified their bus fleets. Though the latest pollution results show a positive trend for Germany, the 2010 European Union standards no longer meet the recommendations of the World Health Organization. More efforts are underway to ensure continued progress in reducing harmful pollutants in Germany and throughout the European Union.