Work

Urban population exposure to air pollution in Europe over the last decades

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Background The paper presents an overview of air quality in the 27 member countries of the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (previous EU-28), from 2000 to 2017. We reviewed the progress made towards meeting the air quality standards established by the EU Ambient Air Quality Directives (European Council Directive 2008/50/EC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines by estimating the trends (Mann-Kendal test) in national emissions of main air pollutants, urban population exposure to air pollution, and in mortality related to exposure to ambient fine particles (PM 2.5 ) and tropospheric ozone (O 3 ). Results Despite significant reductions of emissions (e.g., sulfur oxides: ~ 80%, nitrogen oxides: ~ 46%, non-methane volatile organic compounds: ~ 44%, particulate matters with a diameter lower than 2.5 µm and 10 µm: ~ 30%), the EU-28 urban population was exposed to PM 2.5 and O 3 levels widely exceeding the WHO limit values for the protection of human health. Between 2000 and 2017, the annual PM 2.5 -related number of deaths decreased (- 4.85 per 10 6 inhabitants) in line with a reduction of PM 2.5 levels observed at urban air quality monitoring stations. The rising O 3 levels became a major public health issue in the EU-28 cities where the annual O 3 -related number of premature deaths increased (+ 0.55 deaths per 10 6 inhabitants). Conclusions To achieve the objectives of the Ambient Air Quality Directives and mitigate air pollution impacts, actions need to be urgently taken at all governance levels. In this context, greening and re‐naturing cities and the implementation of fresh air corridors can help meet air quality standards, but also answer to social needs, as recently highlighted by the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Source: Environmental Sciences Europe

DOI: 10.1186/s12302-020-00450-2

Authors: Pierre Sicard, Evgenios Agathokleous, Alessandra De Marco, Elena Paoletti, Vicent Calatayud

Institutions: Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, National Research Council, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri, Mediterranean Center for Environmental Studies

Language: English

Topic: Air Quality and Health Impacts

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Sustainable cities and communities, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,790