🌬️ Significantly improved air quality in Europe over the past two decades, study shows

• A study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health demonstrates significant improvements in air quality across Europe.
• Levels of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide have decreased by 1.7-2.7 percent per year.

Analyzed 35 countries

The Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) conducted a comprehensive study to assess daily concentrations of air pollutants across Europe between 2003 and 2019. The goal was to evaluate the occurrence of days exceeding the World Health Organization's guidelines for one or more pollutants, referred to as "polluted air days."

The study analyzed air pollution levels in over 1,400 regions across 35 European countries, representing 543 million people.

Two common measures of particulate matter found in urban air are PM2.5 and PM10. Particulate matter originates from various sources, some anthropogenic, such as combustion of wood and wear from studded tires, and others natural, like sea waves and desert sand.

The larger particles in the air, known as PM10, primarily come from wear and tear, such as the degradation of road surfaces due to the impact of studded tires. These particles also account for the largest mass of particulates in the air. The smaller particles, designated PM2.5, mainly originate from various combustion processes and industrial activity.

Nitrogen oxides are collectively referred to as nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which form when the oxygen and nitrogen in the air react at high temperatures. Vehicle traffic is the largest source in most urban areas, but energy production, machinery, and maritime transport also make significant contributions of nitrogen oxides.

The results show that the levels of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) have decreased in most parts of Europe.

The greatest decrease was observed in PM10, with an annual reduction of 2.72 percent, followed by NO2 with a decrease of 2.45 percent per year, and PM2.5 with a reduction of 1.72 percent per year. However, ozone (O3) levels increased by 0.45 percent per year.

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