Health impacts of air pollution

Cardiovascular diseases and cancers are the leading causes of death and contributed to nearly 73% of all deaths in Lithuania in 2023, including those related to air pollution. The progressive reduction of air pollution through investment in renewable energy, support for replacing household boilers with eco-friendly models, restrictions on polluting fuels, inspections of road vehicle emissions, eco-taxes, improvements in traffic management, municipal air pollution observation and risk communication has contributed to the reduction of mortality and premature deaths attributable to particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM_2.5). Mortality due to PM_2.5 has declined in Lithuania by 52% since 2005. The national air pollution control programme plays an important role in implementing air pollution reduction measures. The tightening of the national PM_2.5 threshold limits will also help to reduce the number of premature deaths. In addition to the usual air pollution sources, such as transport or domestic heating, certain conditions – for example, periods of prolonged dry weathe related to climate change and an increasing number of transboundary air pollution episodes – contribute to air pollution with particulate matter.