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Environmental information systems
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.
The European Commission’s zero-pollution action plan aims to reduce the health impacts of air pollution by . Malta reduced its emissions of particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5μm or less (PM2.5) by 50% between . The 2020 PM2.5 emission reduction target was achieved, and Malta is , as set out in Annex 2 to the EU’s National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive.
The reduction in PM2.5 emissions is mainly due to cleaner power generation, with additional contributions from reduced emissions in agriculture and road transport due to public transport reform and . The electrification of mobility is favoured in view of its mitigating effects on .
Unlike nitrogen dioxide emissions, PM2.5 emissions did not appear to be reduced by COVID-19 pandemic measures and showed minimal reduction in annual average concentrations. PM2.5 emissions are mainly influenced by natural and transboundary sources, . Ensuring the continued reduction of particulate matter concentrations in ambient air over the next decade may be challenging, as this necessitates collective efforts to implement the measures outlined in Malta’s national air pollution control programme and air quality plan.
References and footnotes
- ↵EEA, ‘Premature deaths due to exposure to fine particulate matter in Europe’, EEA website, 10 December 2024, accessed 24 June 2025, https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/indicators/health-impacts-of-exposure-to#:~:text=The%20zero%20pollution%20action%20plan%2C%20adopted%20in%20the%20context%20of,monitored%20via%20the%20premature%20deaths.
- ↵ERA, Malta’s Annual Informative Inventory, Marsa, 2024, p. 158, accessed 24 June 2025, https://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/mt/eu/nec_revised/iir/envzfp_ew/IIR_2024_Submission.pdf.
- ↵European Commission, ‘Emissions inventories’, European Commission website, accessed 24 June 2025, https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/air/reducing-emissions-air-pollutants/emissions-inventories_en.
- ↵ERA, Malta’s National Air Pollution Control Programme – 2019, Marsa, 2020, accessed 24 June 2025, (https://era.org.mt/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/NAPCP.pdf) accessed 2024.
- ↵EEA, 2018, ‘Electric vehicles from life cycle and circular economy perspectives – TERM 2018: Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism (TERM) report’, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2018, (https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/electric-vehicles-from-life-cyclehttps://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/electric-vehicles-from-life-cycle/download) accessed 2024.
- ↵ERA, 2020, ‘A preliminary assessment related to the impact of COVIDovid-19 measures on air quality in Malta’, Marsa, 2020, accessed 24 June 2025, (https://era.org.mt/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Covid-19-and-Air-Quality_MT-Report_Final.pdf) accessed 2024.