The air currently breathed across Europe is only slightly better than it was a decade ago. A study analyzing the concentrations of the four major outdoor pollutants in 1,400 regions across 35 countries — a total that covers the air of more than 543 million people — shows a mixed picture. Over the last twenty years, at least three of the four pollution indicators have improved for the continent as a whole, while one has worsened. Yet experts warn that air quality still falls well short of healthy thresholds for the population.
The research, led by ISGlobal and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, examined the daily levels of four key pollutants: fine particles (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3). Records indicate that particulate matter declined by about 1.7 percent annually for the smallest particles and by about 2.7 percent for the larger particles. NO2 levels dropped an average of 2.45 percent per year across Europe. The only substance that rose was atmospheric ozone, which increased by roughly 0.58 percent during the studied period, especially in southern Europe.
“Despite these gains, most Europeans still breathe unhealthy air.”
— A researcher involved in the study
Across the Continent, it is estimated that about 98.1 percent of Europeans remain exposed to dangerous PM2.5 levels, around 80.1 percent face toxic PM10 thresholds, and roughly 86.3 percent live with concerning NO2 figures. Additionally, the majority of the population, more than 86 percent, experienced at least one day of extreme pollution in a year when at least three sources of air pollution converged.
Spain stands out as one of the countries with relatively lower exposure to extreme pollution between 2003 and 2019. On average, Spaniards experienced about 23 days when air quality exceeded the dangerous thresholds set by health authorities. The regional variation is significant; for example, Madrid logged 42 days, Barcelona 110 days, and Granada more than 169 days with extremely high pollutant concentrations.
Nationwide, the cities most exposed to fine particles PM2.5 included Granada, Barcelona, Huelva, Jaén, and Castellón. For PM10, Jaén, Madrid, Ciudad Real, Granada, and Toledo were the most affected. The highest NO2 levels appeared in Barcelona, Madrid, Ceuta, Pontevedra, and Melilla. And for ozone, the most exposed cities in the last two decades were Barcelona, Huelva, Ceuta, Girona, and Madrid. In other parts of Europe, northern Italy and Eastern Europe emerged as the regions with greater exposure to particulates and NO2.
Mitigation measures
Experts note that the recent improvements in air quality across Europe correlate with public policy actions. These include policies to curb traffic in large cities and to limit pollution from industry, infrastructure, and the power sector. These efforts also reflect commitments made by the member states in international climate summits to reduce emissions. While improvements are visible across the studied countries, there are marked regional differences in impact.
“Public health rests at the heart of these changes.”
– Acknowledgments in the study
This latest snapshot of Europe’s air quality should be used to craft targeted measures aimed at reducing each identified pollution source, particularly in areas where records show the greatest impact. Proponents emphasize that exposure to continued air pollution raises risks of heart and lung diseases, several cancer types, and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.