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Air quality in Europe - 2017 report

Publication Created 25 Aug 2017 Published 11 Oct 2017
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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 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.
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.
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).

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For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2017 or scan the QR code.

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