Europe’s Air Pollution Crisis Persists Despite Progress on Emissions
- Air pollution caused 182,000 deaths in the EU in 2023, with most urban residents exposed to unsafe levels.
- The EU is tightening guidance through the new Cancer Code, urging both policy reform and behavioral changes.
- Failure by several member states to meet emissions targets highlights enforcement gaps and the need for faster clean energy transition.
Air pollution has become a growing concern around the globe, with several governments now acting to improve air quality. The new European Cancer Code addresses the problem of air pollution directly and suggests that greater action must be taken. However, several EU countries are failing to properly manage air pollution, resulting in a multitude of health conditions and contributing to global warming.
A 2025 report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) suggests that, between 2005 and 2023, air pollution in the EU contributed to thousands of preventable deaths. While premature deaths linked to fine particulate matter fell by 57 percent during this period, according to the report, air pollution still contributed to 182,000 deaths in 2023. Italy reported the highest number of deaths, at 43,083 in 2023. This was followed by Poland, with 25,268 attributable deaths, and Germany, with 21,640 attributable deaths.
Particulate matter consists of tiny particles in the air that have a diameter of 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) or less. If inhaled, these particles can lead to severe health issues, such as asthma, ischemic heart disease, and lung cancer. Most PM2.5 comes from human sources, such as vehicle emissions, air fresheners, and emissions from manufacturing. They can also come from natural events, such as wildfires, which are becoming more common due to climate change.
At present, around 95 percent of Europeans living in urban areas are exposed to air pollution levels “considerably” higher than the recommendations set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2021.
The European Code Against Cancer, 5th edition (ECAC5), which was published in January, includes recommendations for individuals and policymakers, aimed at reducing the cancer burden from both outdoor and indoor air pollution. The report recommends that individuals should limit car use, avoid second-hand smoke, refrain from burning wood or coal indoors or outdoors, and limit walking or cycling along heavily trafficked routes.
The authors also call on policymakers to align EU air quality limit values with WHO recommendations, as well as introduce stricter regulations on combustion emissions, promote active and environmentally friendly transportation, and incentivise the use of cleaner energy sources for heating and cooking. By cutting air pollution, governments can help reduce the prevalence of certain types of cancer, such as bladder, kidney, and brain cancers, according to the report.
In the publication of ECAC5, it is the first time that the authors of the report have given clear direction to governments to reduce air pollution, rather than solely focusing on the individual. Sylvia Jochems, who is part of the expert team that established the code, stated, “The key message is that this needs action at the EU, national and local level.”
To reduce air pollution, several experts suggest that we need to change our energy usage by transitioning more rapidly to clean energy sources. The energy sector contributes over three-quarters of total greenhouse gas emissions globally, and, at present, much of the world continues to rely heavily on fossil fuels, which release harmful pollutants into the atmosphere when burned.
Shifting to a reliance on cleaner energy sources could help significantly reduce air pollution. This can be achieved by deploying more renewable energy capacity and electrifying energy-intensive sectors such as industry, transport, and building.
Several EU countries are still failing to properly manage air pollution, according to recent reports. For example, the European Commission (EC) referred Bulgaria, Lithuania, Portugal, and Sweden to the Court of Justice of the European Union for not respecting their emission reduction commitments for several air pollutants as required by the Directive on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants (the NEC Directive).
The NEC Directive establishes emission reduction commitments for a range of air pollutants, which must be achieved by every EU member state each year between 2020 and 2029, and introduces more ambitious aims beyond 2030. Member states are also required to establish and update National Air Pollution Control Programmes to demonstrate how they plan to achieve their reduction commitments.
In 2025, the EC found that Bulgaria, Portugal, and Sweden had failed to meet the emission reduction commitment for ammonia (NH3), and Lithuania for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) in the emission data provided up to 2023.
Environmental reform is a core condition of EU membership; as such, European countries looking to join the EU must meet certain environmental standards to be considered. North Macedonia, which is an applicant for EU accession, is at risk of losing credibility as a candidate for failing to meet basic air quality standards. In its most recent progress report, the EC warned that despite receiving significant funding, North Macedonia’s reforms continue to be hampered by a lack of ownership among authorities, weak coordination, and limited administrative capacity.
The EU is increasingly focused on reducing air pollution across the region, which can lead to or exacerbate a wide range of health conditions, as well as contribute to global warming. However, achieving this reduction relies heavily on the commitment of member state governments to taking meaningful action to align national environmental policies with EU standards and effectively implement these policies.
By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com
- Air pollution caused 182,000 deaths in the EU in 2023, with most urban residents exposed to unsafe levels.
- The EU is tightening guidance through the new Cancer Code, urging both policy reform and behavioral changes.
- Failure by several member states to meet emissions targets highlights enforcement gaps and the need for faster clean energy transition.
Air pollution has become a growing concern around the globe, with several governments now acting to improve air quality. The new European Cancer Code addresses the problem of air pollution directly and suggests that greater action must be taken. However, several EU countries are failing to properly manage air pollution, resulting in a multitude of health conditions and contributing to global warming.
A 2025 report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) suggests that, between 2005 and 2023, air pollution in the EU contributed to thousands of preventable deaths. While premature deaths linked to fine particulate matter fell by 57 percent during this period, according to the report, air pollution still contributed to 182,000 deaths in 2023. Italy reported the highest number of deaths, at 43,083 in 2023. This was followed by Poland, with 25,268 attributable deaths, and Germany, with 21,640 attributable deaths.
Particulate matter consists of tiny particles in the air that have a diameter of 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) or less. If inhaled, these particles can lead to severe health issues, such as asthma, ischemic heart disease, and lung cancer. Most PM2.5 comes from human sources, such as vehicle emissions, air fresheners, and emissions from manufacturing. They can also come from natural events, such as wildfires, which are becoming more common due to climate change.
At present, around 95 percent of Europeans living in urban areas are exposed to air pollution levels “considerably” higher than the recommendations set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2021.
The European Code Against Cancer, 5th edition (ECAC5), which was published in January, includes recommendations for individuals and policymakers, aimed at reducing the cancer burden from both outdoor and indoor air pollution. The report recommends that individuals should limit car use, avoid second-hand smoke, refrain from burning wood or coal indoors or outdoors, and limit walking or cycling along heavily trafficked routes.
The authors also call on policymakers to align EU air quality limit values with WHO recommendations, as well as introduce stricter regulations on combustion emissions, promote active and environmentally friendly transportation, and incentivise the use of cleaner energy sources for heating and cooking. By cutting air pollution, governments can help reduce the prevalence of certain types of cancer, such as bladder, kidney, and brain cancers, according to the report.
In the publication of ECAC5, it is the first time that the authors of the report have given clear direction to governments to reduce air pollution, rather than solely focusing on the individual. Sylvia Jochems, who is part of the expert team that established the code, stated, “The key message is that this needs action at the EU, national and local level.”
To reduce air pollution, several experts suggest that we need to change our energy usage by transitioning more rapidly to clean energy sources. The energy sector contributes over three-quarters of total greenhouse gas emissions globally, and, at present, much of the world continues to rely heavily on fossil fuels, which release harmful pollutants into the atmosphere when burned.
Shifting to a reliance on cleaner energy sources could help significantly reduce air pollution. This can be achieved by deploying more renewable energy capacity and electrifying energy-intensive sectors such as industry, transport, and building.
Several EU countries are still failing to properly manage air pollution, according to recent reports. For example, the European Commission (EC) referred Bulgaria, Lithuania, Portugal, and Sweden to the Court of Justice of the European Union for not respecting their emission reduction commitments for several air pollutants as required by the Directive on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants (the NEC Directive).
The NEC Directive establishes emission reduction commitments for a range of air pollutants, which must be achieved by every EU member state each year between 2020 and 2029, and introduces more ambitious aims beyond 2030. Member states are also required to establish and update National Air Pollution Control Programmes to demonstrate how they plan to achieve their reduction commitments.
In 2025, the EC found that Bulgaria, Portugal, and Sweden had failed to meet the emission reduction commitment for ammonia (NH3), and Lithuania for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) in the emission data provided up to 2023.
Environmental reform is a core condition of EU membership; as such, European countries looking to join the EU must meet certain environmental standards to be considered. North Macedonia, which is an applicant for EU accession, is at risk of losing credibility as a candidate for failing to meet basic air quality standards. In its most recent progress report, the EC warned that despite receiving significant funding, North Macedonia’s reforms continue to be hampered by a lack of ownership among authorities, weak coordination, and limited administrative capacity.
The EU is increasingly focused on reducing air pollution across the region, which can lead to or exacerbate a wide range of health conditions, as well as contribute to global warming. However, achieving this reduction relies heavily on the commitment of member state governments to taking meaningful action to align national environmental policies with EU standards and effectively implement these policies.
By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com
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