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Air pollution: Air pollution harms human health and the environment. In Europe, emissions of many air pollutants have decreased substantially over the past decades, resulting in improved air quality across the region. However, air pollutant concentrations are still too high, and air quality problems persist. A significant proportion of Europe’s population live in areas, especially cities, where exceedances of air quality standards occur: ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (PM) pollution pose serious health risks. Several countries have exceeded one or more of their 2010 emission limits for four important air pollutants. Reducing air pollution therefore remains important.
Located in Environmental topics › Air pollution
Air pollution - Drivers and pressures (Finland): Air pollution - Drivers and Pressures
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Country assessments › Finland
Air pollution - Drivers and pressures (Poland): SOER Common environmental theme from Poland
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Country assessments › Poland
Air pollution by ozone (CLIM 006) - Assessment published Sep 2008: Climate variability and change has contributed to an increase in average ozone concentrations in central and South-Western Europe (1-2 % per decade). During the summer of 2003, exceptionally long-lasting and spatially extensive episodes of high ozone concentrations occurred, mainly in the first half of August. These episodes appear to have been associated with the extraordinarily high temperatures over wide areas of Europe and illustrate the expected more frequent exceedances of the ozone information threshold under projected climate change. The projected climate-induced increase in ozone levels may result in current ozone abatement policies becoming inadequate.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Air pollution by ozone
Air pollution by ozone and health (CLIM 006) - Assessment published Nov 2012: Ozone is both an important air pollutant and a GHG. Excessive exposure to ground-level ozone is estimated to cause about 20000 premature deaths per year in Europe. Attribution of observed ozone exceedances, or changes therein, to individual causes, such as climate change, is difficult. Future climate change is expected to increase ozone concentrations but this effect will most likely be outweighed by reduction in ozone levels due to expected future emission reductions.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Air pollution by ozone and health
Air pollution from electricity-generating large combustion plants: Located in Publications
Air pollution: breaches of legal limits continued through 2010 and 2011: Air pollutant emissions were above legal limits in eight Member States in 2011, preliminary data shows. In 2010, 12 Member States exceeded these limits, according to final official data reported under the European Union’s National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive.
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Ammonia (NH3) distance-to-target for EEA member countries: The distance-to-target indicator shows how current emissions compare to a linear emission reduction 'target-path' between 1990 emission levels and the 2010 emission ceiling for each country. Negative percentage values indicate the current emissions in a country are below the linear target path; positive values show that current emission lie above a linear target path to 2010.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Ammonia (NH3) emissions (APE 003) - Assessment published Dec 2011: EEA-32 emissions of NH 3 have declined by 26% between the years 1990 and 2009. Agriculture was responsible for 94% of NH 3 emissions in 2009. The reduction in emissions within the agricultural sector is primarily due to a reduction in livestock numbers (especially cattle) since 1990, changes in the handling and management of organic manures and from the decreased use of nitrogenous fertilisers. The reductions achieved in the agricultural sector have been marginally offset by the increased emissions which have occurred during this period in transport sectors and to a lesser extent the ‘Solvent and product use’ sector. In general, Member States have made excellent progress in reducing emissions below the level of their respective emission ceilings set in the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD). Preliminary data released by EEA in February 2011 show that 26 of the 27 EU Member States report that they have achieved their ceilings. Finland is the only Member State which has exceeded its 2010 ceiling. Three non-EU countries have emission ceilings set under the UNECE/CLRTAP Gothenburg protocol (i.e. Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). The preliminary data recently received from these countries indicates only Liechtenstein has not met its 2010 emission ceiling. Environmental context: NH 3 contributes to acid deposition and eutrophication. The subsequent impacts of acid deposition can be significant, including adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems in rivers and lakes and damage to forests, crops and other vegetation. Eutrophication can lead to severe reductions in water quality with subsequent impacts including decreased biodiversity, changes in species composition and dominance, and toxicity effects. NH 3 also contributes to the formation of secondary particulate aerosols, an important air pollutant due to its adverse impacts on human health.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Ammonia (NH3) emissions
Ammonia (NH3) emissions (APE 003) - Assessment published Dec 2012: EEA-32 emissions of NH 3 have declined by 28% between the years 1990 and 2010. Agriculture was responsible for 94% of NH 3 emissions in 2010. The reduction in emissions within the agricultural sector is primarily due to a reduction in livestock numbers (especially cattle) since 1990, changes in the handling and management of organic manures and from the decreased use of nitrogenous fertilisers. The reductions achieved in the agricultural sector have been marginally offset by the increase in annual emissions over this period in the road-transport sector, and to a lesser extent the 'Solvent and product use' and 'Non-road transport' sectors. All but two of the EU-27 Member States reported 2010 national NH 3 emissions under NECD below the level of the 2010 emission ceilings set in the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD) [1] . Emissions in 2010 for two of the three non-EU countries having emission ceilings set under the UNECE/CLRTAP Gothenburg protocol (Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) were also below the level of the respective 2010 ceilings. Environmental context: NH 3 contributes to acid deposition and eutrophication. The subsequent impacts of acid deposition can be significant, including adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems in rivers and lakes and damage to forests, crops and other vegetation. Eutrophication can lead to severe reductions in water quality with subsequent impacts including decreased biodiversity, changes in species composition and dominance, and toxicity effects. NH 3 also contributes to the formation of secondary particulate aerosols, an important air pollutant due to its adverse impacts on human health. [1] Emissions data reported by EU member states under NECD is used for comparison with NECD ceilings, and data reported under CLRTAP is used for all other calculations unless otherwise stated. 2010 emissions reported under NECD in 2012 by 11 member states differed from that reported under CLRTAP.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Ammonia (NH3) emissions