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Environmental information systems
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The indicator shows the number of annual premature deaths attributable to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) and the related zero-pollution action plan objective for 2030. Premature deaths are derived from a health risk assessment approach based on World Health Organization Europe recommendations measuring the general impact of air pollution across a given population.
Morbidity and premature deaths due to air pollution have declined in Bulgaria; this is largely due to the implementation of air quality policies at the national and local levels, as well as the implementation of measures set out in national and local plans in accordance with the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive.
The 2030 target is tied to the proposed new air quality standards, which are considerably stricter than the ones in current legislation. This raises the key question of the achievability of these targets, given the long-standing difficulties Bulgaria has had in complying with the requirements of current legislation on some pollutants.
Over 2005–2022, emissions of particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) in Bulgaria have decreased. The main emitter of these emissions is fuel burning in households. In recent years, air quality has improved significantly and, in order to maintain this positive trend, improving air quality needs to continue to be prioritised in policies within all economic and public sectors.
References and footnotes
- ↵Ministry of Health of the Republic of Bulgaria, Annual report on the state of public health for 2022, Sofia, 2024, https://www.mh.government.bg/bg/politiki/godishen-doklad-za-zdraveto.
- ↵Executive Environment Agency of the Republic of Bulgaria, ‘Air quality – Emissions and ambient air quality’, in: National report on the state and protection of the environment in 2022, Sofia, 2024, pp. 8 and 9, https://eea.government.bg/bg/soer/2024/1Air.pdf.