Cities in the EU will struggle to meet 2030 air quality limits
A new report from the European Court of Auditors (ECA) has concluded that air pollution in the EU continues to be a danger to health and that, despite recent improvements, member states might fail to meet future targets unless ‘existing and additional’ measures are effectively implemented.
The report focusses on the progess made in three European cities: Athens, Barcelona, and Kraków in terms of reducing both air and noise pollution.
While the levels of air pollution in those cities has fallen over the years, it is only recently that they have begun to approach meeting some of the current EU limits.
For particulate matter, Athens and Barcelona have been below the EU limit for the last ten years, while Kraków achieved that goal in 2021. All three are currently above the 2030 limits.
In terms of NO2, only Barcelona are below the current limits, and not by much. Levels in Athens increased from an average mean of around 53μg/m³ in 2013 to just under 70μg/m³ in 2023.
The current EU limit is 40μg/m³ which will fall to 20μg/m³ in 2030.
Klaus-Heiner Lehne, the ECA Member responsible for the audit said: ‘There have been positive developments in the fight against urban pollution. However, it would be a big mistake to rest on our laurels. The EU and its member states must realise that ambitious targets cannot be achieved without considerable additional effort.’
The EU invested around €46.4 billion supporting air quality programmes between 2014 and 2020, and will have spent €185.5 billion by the end of the 2021-2027 period.
A problem that the ECA identify in their report is with enforcement. They say: ‘The Commission is required to actively monitor and act upon all member state failures to comply with the EU legislation. We found that the Commission’s strategic tool, namely the infringement procedure, is a lengthy process that is not always effective in making the cities selected comply with the EU’s rules on air and noise pollution.
‘Member states’ lack of compliance with the EU legislation means that the efforts to mitigate air and noise pollution and therefore reduce the corresponding negative impact on the health of EU citizens in the cities selected were not fully effective’
But some good news:
- In 2013, six member states had breached the EU’s annual PM10 limit and 19 had exceeded its annual NO2 limit.
- In 2022, four member states had breached the EU’s annual PM10 limit and 10 exceeded its annual NO2 limit values
- In 2005, there were 431 114 premature deaths in the EU due to exposure to PM2.5.
- In 2021, there were 253 305, a reduction of 41 %
The full report can be read here.
ECA material is reproduced under the CC BY 4.0 licence
Featured photograph by Antoine Schibler
