It is estimated that at least 239,000 deaths per year in the EU can be attributed to excessive levels of particulate matter in the air. 70,000 deaths in 2022 will be attributed to exposure to ozone and 48,000 to nitrogen dioxide, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said in a new report.
The new data reaffirmed that people in Europe were experiencing concentrations of air pollutants well above the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended levels, the Copenhagen-based EU agency wrote. The deaths could have been prevented by adhering to WHO guidelines.
Connections are not completely tight
The estimates are based on epidemiological analyses. They establish the statistical link between risk factors such as particulate matter pollution and health effects such as cardiovascular disease. By comparing groups with varying degrees of exposure to the suspected cause, informed assumptions about such relationships can be derived. Epidemiological studies show correlations, not causation, and therefore say nothing about causal relationships. The result is a statistical estimate, not an exact representation of clinically identified deaths. The actual value can be either higher or lower.
Bad air warning for ecosystems
The EMA experts also warned of the consequences of poor air quality for European ecosystems. According to another assessment from the Environment Agency, almost three-quarters of these ecosystems are exposed to harmful levels of air pollution.
Too many people in Europe – especially in cities – are still affected by poor air quality, leading to illness and premature deaths, EMA Executive Director Leena Ylä-Mononen has warned. The fact that air pollution also has far-reaching negative effects on ecosystems makes it all the more important to redouble efforts for cleaner air.
Bright spot in the long term
The EEA also finds positives in the latest data: they confirm the trend that the situation regarding the long-term health consequences of the air pollutants particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) is generally improving, the authority wrote.
Between 2005 and 2022, the number of deaths in the EU due to particulate matter (PM2.5) fell by 45 percent. This means that the European Union remains on track to achieve its goal of reducing this number by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 2005.
New EU guidelines
The publication of the new EMA data coincides with the entry into force of new EU directives intended to further improve air quality in Europe. The regulations bring EU limits closer to WHO standards and are expected to further reduce the health impacts of air pollution in the coming years.
Source: Krone
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