Levels of air pollution in Europe 'still too high', warns EU environment agency

Pollution levels are still too high despite an improvement in air quality, according to a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Transcript

00:00 While air quality in Europe is improving, pollution levels are still too high.

00:07 That's the warning issued by the European Environment Agency in a report published Friday.

00:16 It points out that all 27 EU member states are failing to meet their own standards, let

00:21 alone those set by the World Health Organization, and that it's threatening the health of Europeans.

00:29 There are of course many different air pollutants, but I picked the one that is most severe and

00:33 most harmful, fine particles. And we have our latest estimation is that 253,000 deaths

00:40 can be attributed to this pollutant. And these indeed could be prevented by right measures.

00:50 The number of deaths linked to fine particles fell by 41% between 2005 and 2021, but the

00:57 Environment Agency says member states must continue their efforts. Nitrogen dioxide pollution

01:04 was responsible for 52,000 deaths, and short-term exposure to ozone gas is responsible for 22,000

01:10 deaths in the EU. In cities, transport is the main source of pollution. And in some

01:17 regions, domestic heating using solid fuels like coal or wood also affects air quality.

01:24 All of these cumulative phenomena can cause or exacerbate illness.

01:30 In the most severe cases, it causes illnesses which lead quite quickly to death. Lung cancer

01:37 as an example. But it is also important to note, and our report is now first time looking

01:41 more in detail into various diseases and what is the impact of air pollution to aggravate

01:48 these diseases like asthma or chronic heart conditions. So it is the quality of life is

01:55 in many ways is hampered by air pollution still today in Europe.

02:00 The European Environment Agency also says that climate change, in particular the increase

02:05 of temperatures in cities, threatens air quality and as a result the health of all Europeans.

02:12 www.ecoeconomy.eu

02:14 (whooshing)

02:16 (whooshing)