Copenhagen: The European Union (EU) environment agency has issued a report warning that air pollution remains the most significant environmental health risk factor in Europe. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), air pollutant concentrations in 2021 continued to exceed the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its air quality guidelines. The report emphasizes that reducing air pollution to these guideline levels could prevent a significant number of deaths in EU member states.

In 2021, over 320,000 deaths within the European Union were linked to three main air pollutants: fine particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide. The report indicates that 253,000 deaths in the EU could have been avoided if fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations had met WHO recommendations. Additionally, pollution from nitrogen dioxide (NO2) resulted in 52,000 deaths, while short-term ozone (O3) exposure led to 22,000 deaths.

The report expands its scope to include a larger set of European countries outside the EU, bringing the total number of pollutant-related deaths across Europe to 389,000. Exposure to air pollution is linked to the onset or exacerbation of diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, and diabetes, according to new estimates of health impacts provided by the EEA.