Number of people exposed to long-term transport noise levels considered harmful to health based on the END thresholds and WHO recommendations, along with estimated health impacts in 2021 (EU-27, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland)

Refer to Environmental Noise in Europe Report 2025

Health impacts are calculated using the END thresholds. Health impacts occur at noise levels below the END thresholds; therefore, these figures are likely to be underestimated.

END, Environmental Noise Directive.

WHO, World Health Organization. Europe: EU-27 plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.

This visualization was originally used in:

EEA, 2025, Environmental noise in Europe 2025, EEA Report 06/2025, European Environment Agency (https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/environmental-noise-in-europe-2025) accessed 8 July 2025.

Graph based on Reported data on noise exposure covered by Directive 2002/49/EC, European Environment Agency (EEA) with additional gap filling for missing data

Units

Number of people above L_den 55 dB (L_den=day-evening-night noise level), Number of people equal and above 50 dB L_night (nighttime noise levels), Number of people exposed to noise levels above the WHO noise recommended thresholds (i.e. 53 dB L_den and 45 dB L_night for road traffic, 54 dB L_den and 44 dB L_night for rail traffic, and 45 dB L_den and 40 dB L_night for air traffic)

Health Impacts: Number of people affected. Premature mortality refers to all-casue natural mortality. Carviovascular disease includes a range of cardiovascular outcomes such as IHD, Hypertension, Arrythmia, Stroke and Heart failure.

Additional information

The estimated number of people is calculated using data reported under the terms of the END as well as a gap filled data in cities/countries where data was missing.

There may be some small double counting when the number of people affected by noise of the three sources is added up.

Methodology

Health Impacts and extrapolation to WHO levels: https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-he/products/etc-he-products/etc-he-reports/etc-he-report-2023-11-environmental-noise-health-risk-assessment-methodology-for-assessing-health-risks-using-data-reported-under-the-environmental-noise-directive

Gap filling methodology:https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-he/products/etc-he-products/etc-he-reports/etc-he-report-2023-9-wp-3-2-5-3-development-of-a-2017-baseline-to-monitor-noise-under-the-zero-pollution-objectives

Number of people exposed to long-term transport noise levels considered harmful to health based on the END thresholds and WHO recommendations, along with estimated health impacts in 2021 (EU-27, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland)

Related content

References and footnotes