Breathing Cleaner Air Across the Continent!

Research reveals that air pollution levels have improved across Europe over the past 20 years.

“Our consistent estimation of population exposure to compound air pollution events provides a solid basis for future research and policy development to address air quality management and public health concerns across Europe,” says Carlos Pérez García-Pando, one of the authors of the study.

543 million people, 1,400 regions, and 35 European countries were represented in the study, led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health. The results reveal that overall suspended particulate matter PM2.5 has decreased by 2.45 per cent annually, while PM10 has decreased by 2.72 per cent annually. Nitrogen dioxide has also decreased at a yearly rate of 1.72 per cent. Despite these improvements, most European populations still live in areas that exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended population limits. Thanks to initiatives such as low-emission zones for vehicles and the reduced reliance on coal-fired stoves, the bloc has already considerably lowered its pollution levels in recent years. However, to keep reducing particulate pollution across Europe, efforts should focus on monitoring the burning of solid and liquid fuels, domestic heating, and motor traffic.