BRUSSELS: Air pollution is responsible for the premature deaths of 1,200 children and teenagers in Europe each year, according to a report released by the European Environment Agency (EEA) on Monday.
Despite some improvements in recent years, the level of key air pollutants in many European countries remains “stubbornly above” World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The report highlights that central-eastern Europe and Italy are particularly severely affected.
Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to air pollution because their bodies and immune systems are still developing. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide and ozone in the short term, and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) in the long term, can affect children’s lung function and development, leading to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, including asthma. Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy is also linked to low birth weight and the risk of preterm birth.
The report estimates that air pollution causes more than 1,200 premature deaths per year among those under age 18 across the EEA’s 32 member countries, which do not include the UK, Switzerland or Ukraine. Although this number is still low compared to overall deaths from air pollution, which was estimated at 311,000 in 2021, the impact of death or chronic illness in early life is considered greater.
The report notes that heart disease and stroke are the most common causes of premature deaths from air pollution in the wider population, followed by lung diseases and lung cancer. More than 90% of the EU’s urban population was exposed to harmful levels of air pollution in 2021, with exposure to PM 2.5 – the most damaging pollutant to human health – even higher at 97%.
Monitoring showed that ozone and nitrogen dioxide levels exceeded WHO guidelines in all countries, with the highest ozone levels seen in the Mediterranean region and central Europe. PM 2.5 levels were the worst in central-eastern Europe and Italy, mainly due to the burning of solid fuels like coal in homes and industry. Areas deemed to have ‘very poor’ air quality include Piotrków Trybunalski and Nowy Sacz in Poland, Slavonski Brod in Croatia, and Cremona in Italy.
The report underscores the urgent need for stronger action to tackle air pollution and protect public health. Faro in Portugal and Umeå and Uppsala in Sweden were ranked as the cleanest European cities with the lowest average levels of PM 2.5.
