Air Pollution Leads to High Mortality Rates in Europe

Air pollution has escalated to a critical public health issue in Europe, leading to a high number of fatalities. The European Environment Agency (EEA) has reported that exposure to air pollution exceeding the recommended levels set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) contributed to at least 239,000 deaths within the European Union. This issue is associated with a range of severe health conditions such as lung cancer, heart and respiratory diseases, strokes, and adverse birth outcomes. Particularly alarming is the fact that air pollution poses a greater risk to older adults, contributing to approximately 4% of all deaths among individuals aged 65 and above.

While nitrogen dioxide levels across all EU countries are reported to be above WHO standards, certain nations, particularly in Southeast Europe, experience more severe air quality challenges. Notably, Serbia, Albania, Bulgaria, and Montenegro rank among the most affected. In February 2024, UNICEF reported that Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, was once again listed among the top ten most polluted cities globally. The findings also highlighted that 11.6% of infant deaths in North Macedonia have been linked to air pollution. Residents in Skopje have expressed their distress over the air quality, describing it as having the taste and odor reminiscent of burnt plastic, and indicating that they had been using masks for air pollution long before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The disparity regarding air pollution between Eastern and Western Europe correlates closely with the differing GDP and socioeconomic status between these regions. Zorana Jovanovic Andersen, an environmental epidemiology expert at the University of Copenhagen, emphasized this divide in an interview. In response to the mounting health crisis, the EU enacted stricter air quality regulations in December, aiming to align closer with WHO standards by 2030. These new regulations require member states to diligently monitor pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon, and ammonia.

Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, director of the urban planning, environment, and health initiative at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, described these changes as one of the most significant public health measures seen in a generation. In 2021 alone, PM2.5 exposure was linked to approximately 239,000 premature deaths in Europe, with another 48,000 fatalities attributed to nitrogen dioxide. The revised EU directive also empowers citizens suffering from pollution-related health issues to sue their governments over non-compliance with air quality standards. Some countries, like Denmark, are already taking proactive steps; they are considering the implementation of the world's first carbon tax on livestock farming by 2030 to further address pollution levels.