Air quality improving, but just over 180,000 deaths still attributable to air pollution in EU – European Environment Agency (EEA)

Report on European Air Quality and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A 2025 health impact assessment by the European Environment Agency (EEA) indicates that despite significant progress, air pollution remains a critical challenge to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the European Union. In 2023, an estimated 180,000 deaths were attributable to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentrations exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. This directly impacts SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). While a nineteen-year trend shows a reduction in health impacts, pervasive exposure to air pollution, particularly in urban areas, undermines progress towards a sustainable and healthy future for all European citizens.

Analysis of SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Progress Towards Target 3.9

Target 3.9 of SDG 3 aims to substantially reduce deaths and illnesses from air pollution. The EU has demonstrated notable progress in this area:

• A 57% reduction in premature deaths attributable to fine particulate matter was recorded between 2005 and 2023.
• The EU’s zero-pollution action plan target of a 55% reduction in health impacts was successfully achieved for 2023.
• There is a consistent downward trend in the estimated health impacts from three key pollutants: fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone.

Persistent Challenges to Public Health

Despite improvements, air pollution continues to be the foremost environmental health risk in Europe, causing chronic illness and premature death. This presents an ongoing obstacle to fully realizing SDG 3.

• The burden of disease from conditions caused or aggravated by air pollution, such as asthma, ischemic heart disease, and lung cancer, remains significant.
• Emerging evidence suggests a potential link between air pollution and dementia, which would represent a substantial disease burden.
• Eastern and south-eastern European countries experience the most severe health impacts, highlighting regional inequalities in public health outcomes.

Implications for SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Urban Air Quality and Target 11.6

Target 11.6 calls for reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, with a special focus on air quality. The EEA assessment reveals a critical deficiency in this area:

• An estimated 95% of people living in European cities are exposed to air pollution levels that are considerably above WHO-recommended levels.
• This widespread exposure in urban centres directly conflicts with the goal of creating safe, resilient, and sustainable human settlements.

Policy Framework and Future Directives

Legislative Actions and Potential Gains

The EU’s policy framework, including the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive, aims to align regional standards more closely with WHO recommendations. Achieving these global health guidelines would substantially advance the SDGs. According to EEA estimates for 2023, meeting WHO guideline levels could have prevented a significant number of premature deaths.

1. 182,000 deaths attributable to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) exposure.
2. 63,000 deaths attributable to ozone (O₃) exposure.
3. 34,000 deaths attributable to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exposure.

Fostering SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Collaborative efforts are essential for progress. The EU Clean Air Forum, which convenes policymakers, scientists, and civil society, exemplifies the multi-stakeholder partnerships required under SDG 17 to effectively address the complex challenge of improving air quality across Europe.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article primarily addresses issues related to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This goal is central to the article, which focuses on the adverse health impacts of air pollution. The text extensively discusses premature deaths, chronic illnesses, and the overall burden of disease caused by exposure to pollutants like fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ozone (O₃). It explicitly states, “Just over 180,000 deaths in the European Union were attributable to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5)” and mentions diseases such as “ischemic heart disease and lung cancer,” directly linking environmental factors to health outcomes.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  This goal is relevant as the article highlights that air pollution is a significant problem in urban environments. It points out that “almost everyone living in European cities (95%) is exposed to air pollution levels considerably above recommended WHO levels” and that air pollution causes “chronic illness and attributable deaths, especially in cities and urban areas.” This underscores the challenge of managing environmental quality within cities to make them safe and sustainable for their inhabitants.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.9: Substantially reduce deaths and illnesses from pollution

   This target aims to “substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.” The article directly addresses this by quantifying the number of deaths attributable to air pollution: “182,000 deaths attributable to fine particulate matter exposure, 63,000 to ozone (O₃) exposure and 34,000 to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exposure in the EU in 2023.” It also discusses illnesses, noting that “the impacts from living with diseases related to air pollution are significant,” mentioning conditions like asthma and dementia.

2. Target 11.6: Reduce the environmental impact of cities

   This target seeks to “reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality.” The article’s core theme is the poor air quality in European cities. The statistic that “95% [of people living in European cities] is exposed to air pollution levels considerably above recommended WHO levels” directly relates to the challenge of managing air quality as a key environmental impact of urban areas.

3. Target 3.4: Reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases

   This target is to “reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment.” The article connects air pollution to several non-communicable diseases, stating that for some, like “ischemic heart disease and lung cancer, it is premature death.” The report of a “57% fall in premature deaths attributable to fine particulate matter… between 2005 and 2023” demonstrates a direct effort and progress related to reducing premature mortality from environmentally-induced non-communicable diseases.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution

  The article provides explicit data for this indicator. It states that in 2023, there were “just over 180,000 deaths in the European Union… attributable to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5).” It further breaks down avoidable deaths by pollutant, providing concrete numbers that can be used to track mortality rates due to ambient air pollution.

• Indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM_2.5) in cities

  While the article does not provide a specific mean concentration value, it directly references the core component of this indicator. It states that “almost everyone living in European cities (95%) is exposed to air pollution levels considerably above recommended WHO levels.” This implies that the annual mean levels of PM_2.5 in most European cities exceed the WHO guidelines, serving as a qualitative measure for this indicator.

• Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease

  The article implies this indicator by linking air pollution to specific non-communicable diseases that cause premature death. It mentions that “for others, such as ischemic heart disease and lung cancer, it is premature death.” The reported “57% fall in premature deaths attributable to fine particulate matter” since 2005 serves as a direct measure of progress in reducing mortality from these specific diseases linked to an environmental cause.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: eea.europa.eu