EEA: ‘Air pollution still causes 239,000 deaths annually across Europe’

Every year, around 239,000 deaths in the European Union can be attributed to exposure to fine particulate matter, a key air pollutant. Another 70,000 Europeans die from excessive ozone concentrations and 48,000 from nitrogen pollution. In Belgium alone, this concerns 4,100 deaths from particulate matter, 1,400 from ozone, and 1,200 from nitrogen.

The figures come from the latest European Environment Agency (EEA) air quality health impact assessment published Tuesday. The latest data also confirm, yet again, that Europeans remain exposed to air pollutant concentrations considerably above recommended World Health Organization (WHO) levels.

Environmental impact

Exposure to particulate matter, for example, increases the risk of heart disease, and there is a link between diabetes and nitrogen dioxide. The good news, however, is that Europe is making progress. Between 2005 and 2022, the number of deaths linked to particulate matter fell by 45 percent.

However, the EU warns about the environmental impact: 75 percent of ecosystems are exposed to excessive concentrations of harmful air pollution. This has significant consequences for agriculture: ozone negatively impacts harvests.

It damages forests and plants by reducing growth rates, lowering yields, and affecting biodiversity. Finally, Flanders is also exposed to a very high degree of nitrogen pollution, which can impoverish nature. This is a consequence of the proximity of cities and industry.

New air quality directive

The revised ambient air quality directive, which entered into force on Tuesday, brings the EU air quality limits values closer to the WHO standards, supporting further reductions in the health impacts of air pollution over the coming years. It also introduces an obligation to monitor additional pollutants such as ultrafine particles, black carbon, and ammonia.

According to the latest EEA estimates, the almost 240,000 attributable deaths could have been avoided by meeting the WHO’s guideline values in 2022. In addition to premature deaths, the impacts of living with diseases related to air pollution are significant.

“It is vital that these impacts are considered when assessing the overall health burden of air pollution, as well as the benefits that would arise from cleaner air in Europe,” the EEA briefing says.