Published: Nov 09, 2011
Last modified: Nov 23, 2011
Air quality in Europe has improved between
11000 and 2009, as emissions of most pollutants
have fallen, according to a new report from
the European Environment Agency (EEA). But
there is still a lot of room
for improvement, as many EU countries are
expected to exceed the emissions ceilings
in 2010 for at least one pollutant. In addition,
concentration levels of ground-level ozone
and particulate matter have remained stable
over recent years despite efforts to improve
air quality.
Europe’s air quality
is generally getting better, but concentrations
of some pollutants are still endangering
people’s health. To improve air quality
further, we need to use many different kinds
of policies and measures. These could include
reducing emissions levels at source, better
urban planning to reduce people’s exposure
and lifestyle changes at the individual
level.
Although emissions have
fallen over the last two decades, this has
not always led to a corresponding drop in
pollutant concentrations in the air. This
is particularly true in the case of particulate
matter (PM) and ground-level ozone, as there
is a complex relationship between emissions
and air quality.
Ozone and PM are the
most problematic pollutants for health,
potentially causing or aggravating cardiovascular
and lung diseases and leading to premature
death. Eutrophication, an oversupply of
nutrient nitrogen in terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems is another major problem caused
by air pollutants. Ammonia (NH3) from agriculture
and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from combustion
processes are now the main acidifying and
eutrophying air pollutants, as sulphur pollution
has fallen in recent years. Many air pollutants
also contribute to climate change.
“Europe’s air quality
is generally getting better, but concentrations
of some pollutants are still endangering
people’s health,” Jacqueline McGlade, EEA
Executive Director, said. “To improve air
quality further, we need to use many different
kinds of policies and measures. These could
include reducing emissions levels at source,
better urban planning to reduce people’s
exposure and lifestyle changes at the individual
level.”
Key findings of the
report
Particulate matter: Twenty per cent of the
EU urban population lives in areas where
the EU air quality 24-hour limit value for
PM10 concentration was exceeded in 2009.
For the 32 member countries of the EEA,
the estimate is 39 %. However, 80-90 % of
the EU urban population is exposed to levels
of PM10 which exceeded the more stringent
World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality
guidelines. This situation does not seem
to be improving.
Ozone: Ozone is not
directly emitted but instead is the product
of chemical reactions between other gases.
Although man-made emissions of many of these
‘precursors’ has declined, ozone levels
did not fall significantly between 1999
and 2009.
Approximately 17 % of
European citizens live in areas where the
EU target for ozone concentration was exceeded
in 2009. If ozone levels are compared to
the more stringent WHO guidelines, more
than 95% of the EU urban population was
exposed to ozone exceeding this level. About
one third of the total arable land in the
32 EEA member countries was also exposed
to levels of ozone above the EU target level.
Sulphur dioxide (SO2):
From 1999 to 2009, Europe cut SO2 levels
by roughly 50 %, leading to declines in
acid rain and reduced acidification. Very
few EU urban citizens are exposed to levels
of SO2 above the EU limit value, although
68-85 % of the EU urban population is potentially
exposed to levels above the WHO guidelines.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2):
Concentrations of NO2 have declined slightly
in recent years. Exceedances occurred usually
at hot-spots, such as main roads. Twelve
per cent of the European urban population
live in areas with urban background (non-traffic)
concentrations of NO2 exceeding EU and WHO
levels.
Heavy metals: Atmospheric
levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead and nickel
are generally low in Europe. However, heavy
metal levels can build up in soils, sediments
and organisms. Despite considerable cuts
in emissions of heavy metals since 11000
in the EU, a significant proportion of European
ecosystems are still at risk of heavy metal
contamination.
