Air quality in Europe - 2017 report

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"Air quality in Europe — 2017 report" presents an updated analysis of air quality and its impacts, based on official data from more than 2 500 monitoring stations across Europe in 2015.
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Publication Created 25 Aug 2017 Published 11 Oct 2017
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EEA Report No 13/2017
"Air quality in Europe — 2017 report" presents an updated analysis of air quality and its impacts, based on official data from more than 2 500 monitoring stations across Europe in 2015.

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Data references

National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive emission inventory data Data on emissions of air pollutants (ammonia (NH3), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and sulphur dioxide (SO2)) reported annually by Member States to the European Commission (with copies to EEA) under Directive 2016/2284 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants.
Air pollutant concentrations at station level (statistics) This dataset helps assess European population’s exposure to air pollutants. It provides a snapshot of air quality based on data from official monitoring stations (via Air Quality e-reporting) in the cities included in the Urban Audit project. It also shows the situation at station level in relation to the different European Union and World Health Organization air quality standards.

Figures used

Rural concentration of the ozone indicator AOT40 for forest The gradient of the accumulated ozone exposure values for forests, over a threshold of 40 parts per billion (AOT40f), is similar to that of the AOT40c (crops). AOT40f increases from northern Europe to reach the highest values in the countries around the Mediterranean.
Rural concentration of the ozone indicator AOT40 for crops in 2014 Accumulated ozone exposure values for crops — over a threshold of 40 parts per billion (AOT40c) — increase from northern Europe to the southern Mediterranean countries.
93.2 percentile of O3 maximum daily 8-hours mean in 2015 Observed concentrations of O3 in 2015. The map shows the 93.2 percentile of the O3 maximum daily 8-hour mean, representing the 26th highest value in a complete series. It is related to the O3 target value, allowing 25 exceedances over the 120-μg/m3 threshold. At sites marked with red and dark-red dots, the 26th highest daily O3 concentration exceeded the 120-μg/m3 threshold, implying an exceedance of the target value threshold. Only stations with more than 75 % of valid data have been included in the map.
Annual mean lead (Pb) concentrations in 2015 Observed concentrations of lead in 2015. The map shows the lead annual mean concentrations. The red and dark red dots indicate stations with exceedances of the annual limit value (0.5 µg/m3). Only stations with more than 14 % of valid data have been included in the map.
PM10 annual mean in 2014 The map represents the interpolated concentrations of PM10 (annual mean) combining monitoring data at regional and urban background stations with results from the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) chemical transport model and other supplementary data.
PM2.5 annual mean in 2014 The map represents the interpolated concentrations of PM2.5 (annual mean) combining monitoring data at regional and urban background stations with results from the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) chemical transport model and other supplementary data.
NO2 annual mean in 2014 The map represents the interpolated concentrations of NO2 (annual mean) combining monitoring data at monitoring stations with results from the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) chemical transport model and other supplementary data.
O3 indicator SOMO35 in 2014 The map represents the interpolated concentrations of O3 (SOMO35) combining monitoring data at regional and urban background stations with results from the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) chemical transport model and other supplementary data.
Annual mean nickel concentrations in 2015 Observed concentrations of nickel in 2015. The map shows the Ni annual mean concentrations. The red and dark-red dots indicate stations with concentrations exceeding the target value (20 ng/m3). Only stations with more than 14 % of valid data have been included in the map.
Annual mean arsenic concentrations in 2015 Observed concentrations of arsenic in 2015. The map shows the arsenic annual mean concentrations. The red and dark red dots indicate stations with exceedances of the annual target value (6 ng/m3). Only stations with more than 14 % of valid data have been included in the map.
Concentrations of CO in 2015 Observed concentrations of CO in 2015. The map shows the maximum CO daily 8-hours mean. The red and dark-red dots indicate stations with concentrations exceeding the limit value and the WHO air quality guidance (10 mg/m3). Only stations with more than 75 % of valid data have been included in the map
Annual mean PM10 concentrations in 2015 Observed concentrations of PM10 in 2015. The map shows the PM10 annual mean concentrations. The red and dark-red dots indicate stations with concentrations exceeding the limit value (40 μg/m3). The dark green dots indicate stations reporting values below the WHO air quality guidance for PM10 (20 μg/m3). Only stations with more than 75 % of valid data have been included in the map.
Annual mean PM2.5 concentrations in 2015 Observed concentrations of PM2.5 in 2015. The map shows the PM2.5 annual mean concentrations. The red and dark-red dots indicate stations with concentrations exceeding the limit value (25 μg/m3). The dark green dots indicate stations reporting values below the WHO air quality guidance for PM2.5 (10 μg/m3). Only stations with more than 75 % of valid data have been included in the map.
Annual mean cadmium concentrations in 2015 Observed concentrations of cadmium in 2015. The map shows the cadmium annual mean concentrations. The red and dark red dots indicate stations with exceedances of the annual target value (5 ng/m3). Only stations with more than 14 % of valid data have been included in the map.
Annual mean benzene concentrations in 2015 Observed concentrations of benzene in 2015. The map shows the benzene annual mean concentrations. The dark red dots indicate stations with exceedances of the annual limit value (5 µg/m3). The dark green dots correspond to concentrations under the estimated WHO reference level (1.7 µg/m3). Only stations with more than 50 % of valid data have been included in the map.
90.4 percentile of PM10 daily concentrations in 2015 Observed concentrations of PM10 in 2015. The map shows the 90.4 percentile of the PM10 daily mean concentrations, representing the 36th highest value in a complete series. It is related to the PM10 daily limit value, allowing 35 exceedances over 1 year of the 50 μg/m3 threshold. The red and dark-red dots indicate stations with exceedances of this daily limit value. Only stations with more than 75 % of valid data have been included in the map.
Annual mean BaP concentrations in 2015 Observed concentrations of BaP in 2015. The map shows the BaP annual mean concentrations. The dark red dots indicate stations with exceedances of the annual target value (1 ng/m3). The dark green dots correspond to concentrations under the estimated WHO reference level (0.12 ng/m3). Only stations with more than 14 % of valid data have been included in the map.
Annual mean NO2 concentrations in 2015 Observed concentrations of NO2 in 2015. The map shows the NO2 annual mean concentrations. The red and dark red dots indicate stations with exceedances of the annual limit value (40 µg/m3). Only stations with more than 75 % of valid data have been included in the map.

News and articles

Air pollution: agriculture and transport emissions continue to pose problems in meeting agreed limits Emissions from agriculture and transport continue to pose problems for European Union Member States in meeting EU and United Nations air pollution limits, according to updated data published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) today. While emissions of most air pollutants remain on a downward trend, ammonia emissions continued to rise in 2016.
Environmental change: knowledge is key to mitigating impacts on people and nature Environmental policy making is not an easy task. On the one hand, Europeans want to enjoy the benefits a well-functioning economy provides. On the other, there are significant environmental and health costs attached to our lifestyle choices. A systemic understanding of how nature, economy and human health are connected is essential for identifying the best policy options available. The European Environment Agency aims to support policy making by providing exactly this kind of knowledge.
European Air Quality Index: current air quality information at your finger tips A new European Air Quality Index, launched today by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission, allows users to check the current air quality across Europe’s cities and regions. The Index is accompanied by new country fact sheets that provide updated air quality information for EEA member countries.
Improving air quality in European cities will bring major health benefits Most people living in European cities are exposed to poor air quality. Latest estimates by the European Environment Agency (EEA), released today, show that fine particulate matter continues to cause the premature death of more than 400 000 Europeans annually. Road transport, agriculture, power plants, industry and households are the biggest emitters of air pollutants in Europe.

Related briefings

Assessing the risks to health from air pollution The European Environment Agency (EEA) produces annual air pollution health risk assessments at the European level. These give an objective and comparable estimate of the impacts of air pollution on the population’s health. This briefing provides an overview of the methodology followed in the assessments.
Improving Europe’s air quality — measures reported by countries Under the European Union’s (EU) Air Quality Directive, Member States have to implement and report on the measures they put in place in areas where air quality limit and target values are exceeded. This briefing provides an overview of the different types of abatement measures reported. It focuses mainly on measures designed to reduce people’s exposure to the two air pollutants that most commonly exceed air quality standards: particulate matter (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). In general, the road transport sector is the largest contributor to total nitrogen dioxide emissions in the EU, while fuel combustion in the commercial, institutional and households sector is the largest contributor to total primary particulate matter emissions, particularly in some eastern European countries. Most reported measures address the road transport sector.
NEC Directive reporting status 2018 Air pollution is a key environmental and social issue, the management and mitigation of which pose multiple challenges. It is the single largest environmental risk to human health in Europe, causing respiratory problems and shortening lifespans. Air pollution also affects ecosystems through, for example, the eutrophication of sensitive areas and the effect of ozone on vegetation. In addition, air pollution has negative impacts on the built environment and several atmospheric pollutants contribute to climate change (EEA, 2017).

Related indicators

Exposure of Europe's ecosystems to acidification, eutrophication and ozone In the EU-28, critical loads for acidification were exceeded in 7 % of the ecosystem area in 2010, down from 43 % in 1980. The figure also decreased to 7 % of the ecosystem area across all EEA member countries. There are still some areas where the interim objective for reducing acidification, as defined in the EU's National Emission Ceilings Directive, has not been met.  The EU-28 ecosystem area in which the critical loads for eutrophication were exceeded peaked at 84 % in 1990 and decreased to 63 % in 2010 (55 % in the EEA member countries). The area in exceedance is projected to further decrease to 54 % in 2020 for the EU-28 (48 % in the EEA member countries), assuming current legislation is implemented. The magnitude of the exceedances is also projected to decline considerably in most areas, except for a few 'hot spot' areas in western France and the border areas between Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as in northern Italy. Looking ahead, only 4 % of the EU-28 ecosystem area (3 % in EEA member countries) is projected to exceed acidification critical loads in 2020 if current legislation is fully implemented. The eutrophication reduction target set in the updated EU air pollution strategy proposed by the European Commission in late 2013, will be met by 2030 if it is assumed that all maximum technically feasible reduction measures are implemented, but it will not be met by current legislation. For ozone, most of Europe's vegetation and agricultural crops are exposed to ozone levels that exceed the long term objective specified in the EU's Air Quality Directive. A significant fraction is also exposed to levels above the target value threshold defined in the directive. The effect-related concentrations show large year-to-year variations. Over the period 1996-2014, exposure increased before 2006, after which it decreased. During the past six years, the fractions of agricultural crops above the target value were the lowest since 1996. In 2014, the fraction decreased to 18 %, the minimum in the whole series; and mapping results show that the highest values have also decreased. During the past six years, around two-thirds of the forest area was exposed to ozone concentrations above the critical level set by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) for the protection of forests. 
Exceedance of air quality standards in urban areas Air quality in Europe is slowly improving. However, between 2013 and 2015, a significant proportion of the urban population in the EU-28 was exposed to concentrations of certain air pollutants above the EU limit or target values. The numbers of people exposed were even higher in relation to the more stringent World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guideline values set for the protection of human health.    For fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), 7-8 % of the urban population were exposed to concentrations in excess of the EU limit value, while 82-85 % were exposed to concentrations above the WHO guideline value. For particulate matter (PM 10 ), the respective exposure estimates were 16-20% for the EU limit value and 50-62 % for the WHO guideline value. For ozone (O 3 ), estimates were 7-30 % for the EU target value and 95-98 % for the WHO guideline value. For nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), estimates were 7-9 % in both cases (EU limit value and WHO guideline). For benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), estimates were 20-25 % for the EU target value and 85-91 % for the estimated reference level.
Emissions of the main air pollutants in Europe Anthropogenic emissions of the main air pollutants decreased significantly in most EEA member countries between 1990 and 2015: emissions of nitrogen oxides decreased by 52 % (56 % in the EU-28); emissions of sulphur oxides decreased by 83 % (89 % in the EU-28); emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds decreased by 59 % (61 % in the EU-28); emissions of ammonia decreased by 18 % (23 % in the EU-28); emissions of fine particulate matter decreased by 28 % (26 % in the EU-28) from 2000. The EU-28 met its continuing obligation to maintain emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, ammonia and non-methane volatile organic compounds below legally binding targets, as specified by the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD). Some EU Member States reported emissions that were above their NECD emission ceilings: six countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland and Luxembourg) exceeded emission ceilings for nitrogen oxides , six (Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Spain and Sweden) exceeded emission ceilings for ammonia  and five (Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland and Luxembourg) exceeded emission ceilings for non-methane volatile organic compounds. There are no emission ceilings for primary fine particulate matter . Emission ceilings were set for 2010 for two additional EEA member countries (Norway and Switzerland) in the Gothenburg Protocol under the 1979 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. Norway reported emissions above their ammonia  ceilings . Emission reduction commitments for 2020 have been set under the revised Gothenburg Protocol . The EU-28 as a whole is on track to meet reduction commitments .
Persistent organic pollutant emissions The emissions of a number of compounds categorised as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) decreased between 1990 and 2014 in the EEA-33, e.g. hexachlorobenzene (HCB) by 95 %, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by 71 %, dioxins and furans by 85 % and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by 60 %. Although the majority of countries report that POP emissions fell during this period, some report that emissions increased. In 2014, the most significant sources of emissions for these POPs included the ‘Commercial, institutional and households’ (13 % of HCB, 39 % of dioxins and furans, 54 % of PAHs and 15 % of PCBs) and ‘Industrial processes and product use’ (16 % of HCB and 51 % of PCBs) sectors.
Global and European temperature According to three different observational records of global average annual near-surface (land and ocean) temperature, the last decade (2006–2015) was 0.83 to 0.89 °C warmer than the pre-industrial average, which makes it the warmest decade on record. Of the 16 warmest years on record, 15 have occurred since 2000. The year 2015 was the warmest on record, around 1 °C warmer than the pre-industrial level, followed by 2014. The average annual temperature for the European land area for the last decade (2006–2015) was around 1.5 °C above the pre-industrial level, which makes it the warmest decade on record. Moreover, 2014 and 2015 were jointly the warmest years in Europe since instrumental records began. Climate models project further increases in global average temperature over the 21st century (for the period 2081–2100 relative to 1986–2005) of between 0.3 and 1.7 °C for the lowest emissions scenario (RCP2.6) and between 2.6 and 4.8 °C for the highest emissions scenario (RCP8.5). All UNFCCC member countries have agreed on the long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 °C compared with pre-industrial levels and have agreed to aim to limit the increase to 1.5 °C. For the three highest of the four RCPs, global average temperature increase is projected to exceed 2 °C compared with pre-industrial levels by 2050. Annual average land temperature over Europe is projected to increase by the end of this century (2071–2100 relative to 1971–2000) in the range of 1 to 4.5 °C under RCP4.5 and 2.5 to 5.5 °C under RCP8.5, which is more than the projected global average increase. The strongest warming is projected across north-eastern Europe and Scandinavia in winter and southern Europe in summer. The number of warm days (those exceeding the 90th percentile threshold of a baseline period) have almost doubled since 1960 across the European land area. Europe has experienced several extreme heat waves since 2000 (2003, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2015). Under a high emissions scenario (RCP8.5), very extreme heat waves as strong as these or even stronger are projected to occur as often as every two years in the second half of the 21st century. The impacts will be particularly strong in southern Europe.

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