Air pollution in Europe has improved over the decades. Still, about 300,000 people die prematurely each year due to it. In 2021, 97% of urban residents faced fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels above WHO’s latest guidelines.
PM2.5 is the most harmful air pollutant. The EU Directive 2024/2881 represents a comprehensive response that significantly tightens air quality standards, enhances monitoring capabilities, and strengthens enforcement mechanisms.
The directive’s success will depend on effective implementation at the national and local levels, with particular attention to protecting vulnerable populations and addressing the social inequalities that amplify air pollution’s health impacts. By establishing a zero-pollution objective by 2050 and intermediate targets for 2030, the directive provides a clear roadmap for achieving the dramatic improvements in air quality that Europe’s citizens deserve.
The integration of transport policy with air quality management, through requirements for sustainable mobility solutions and systematic monitoring of transport-related hotspots, demonstrates recognition that achieving clean air requires coordinated action across multiple policy domains.
At the upcoming Navigate Mobility – Conference on Urban Mobility, discussions around EU Directive 2024/2881 will be one of the focuses. We will explore how cities and governments can turn its goals into action.
As Europe moves toward this ambitious goal, the persistent urban health challenge of air pollution may finally begin to recede, protecting the health and well-being of current and future generations.
SOURCES:
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/air-pollution-in-the-eu/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://www.isglobal.org/en/-/un-estudio-muestra-las-ciudades-europeas-con-mayor-mortalidad-relacionada-con-la-contaminacion-del-aire
https://www.cleanairfund.org/news-item/eu-states-air-quality-targets-loopholes/
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/2881/oj/eng
