Europeans worried about air pollution

December 2022

A new Eurobarometer survey published at the end of October shows that Europeans worry about air pollution. For those that had heard about the AAQDs, a majority want a strengthened Directive. In addition, most respondents do not think that industry, fossil-fuel-based energy producers, employers and authorities do enough to ensure good air quality.

Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said: “People tell us that they want clean air to breathe. People living in cities, asthma sufferers and those living near industrial plants, they are all worried and they are asking us to act.”

The special Eurobarometer survey was conducted between 21 March and 20 April 2022. Some 26,509 respondents from different social and demographic groups were interviewed in their mother tongue, on behalf of the European Commission.

European Commission Press release, 24 October 2022
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_6307in-eu-cl...

 

© Lars-Erik Håkansson

Greater efforts to improve EU air quality needed

The proposal for a new EU air quality standard is an important step closer to the WHO's guidelines, but there are still health and economic gains in lowering the acceptable levels even further.

Photo: © Frank Middendorf – Shutterstock.com

Editorial: Air pollution exposure will remain unacceptably high

Air pollution is the leading environmental risk factor affecting public health in Europe. The current EU annual PM₂.₅ ambient air quality standard is relatively lax, and notably higher ...

Nitrogen ruling puts Dutch CCS project on hold

In 2017 the environmental organisation Mobilisation for the Environment (MOB) went to the European Court of Justice to challenge the Dutch system ...

Photo: © Steve Photography – Shutterstock.com
Photo: © Ingo Bartussek – Shutterstock.com

Ways through the rare earth element bottleneck

It has never been so important to find ways to overcome the barriers of dependency on rare earth elements for the renewable energy transition.

Photo: © Fabrizio Maffei – Shutterstock.com

Climate change will worsen air quality

Scenarios show that global warming will increase the formation of ozone in densely populated regions, and forest fires can affect particle levels far away from the fires.

The remaining global carbon budget leaves little headroom for Europe

As the world fails to reduce emissions fast enough, the remaining carbon budget is shrinking rapidly, as shown by recent studies on carbon budgets for Germany and for Europe.

Photo: © Juergen Nowak– Shutterstock.com
Photo: © Erickson Stock – Shutterstock.com

Richest 1% of the world responsible for 17% of emissions

New analysis taking into account rich people’s consumption behaviour as well as their investment decisions shows a widening gap in responsibility for the climate crisis between rich and poor

Photo: © Dragan Mujan – Shutterstock.com

Health effects of extreme high temperatures

The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly clear, and the impact of high temperatures is felt universally. AirClim has co-published ...

Air pollution can damage children for life

Exposure to air pollution can prevent children's organs from developing to full capacity, since they have more sensitive lungs and immature immune systems.

Photo: © Sharomka – Shutterstock.com
Photo: © eagnarin wanvong – Shutterstock.com

Proposal to integrate maritime transport in the EU ETS

In July 2021, the European Commission proposed, as part of the Fit-for-55 package, to amend the Emissions Trading Directive by including maritime transport in the EU ETS.

Photo: © TR STOK – Shutterstock.com

EU must phase-out coal and gas and promote plant-rich diets to deliver on methane

The draft Methane Action Plan mostly lists existing policies and proposals. To fulfill its 30% reduction commitment the EU must include action to slash the use of fossil fuels and reduce meat consumption.

Whole of Europe must do more to align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target

New scientific report presents technically feasible, 1.5°C compatible energy and emissions pathways for the group of 46 countries that make up the whole of Europe.

The higher the energy efficiency target, the greater the benefits

A new report by Cambridge Econometrics quantifies the benefits resulting from higher levels of ambition for the 2030 energy efficiency target.

Regulating the most polluting livestock farms is justified

Revising the Industrial Emissions Directive to include cattle and lower the size threshold to 150 Livestock Units will only affect 13% of the EU’s largest commercial farms.

EU must reform the ETS to make it an effective instrument

The Oeko-Institut suggests a number of technical measures that could be used to strengthen the EU ETS in the coming years.

European research infrastructures for climate change and air pollution policies

Behind the acronyms of European research infrastructures there are some useful resources. Here is an overview of some of the most significant.

Limited environmental benefits with Euro 7 proposal

For many, the publication of the long-awaited Euro 7 was a large disappointment. The proposal suggests maintaining the Euro 6 standards for tailpipe NOx ...

Over 20,000 died in western Europe’s summer heatwaves, figures show

The Guardian reports that more than 20,000 people died across western Europe in this summer’s heatwaves, in temperatures ...

EU avoids €11bn in gas costs thanks to solar and wind

A new study by E3G and Ember shows that wind and solar produced 25% of EU electricity since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Given the rampant inflation mainly caused ...

New guidance document for nitrogen management

A new guidance document “Nitrogen Opportunities for Agriculture, Food & Environment”, officially adopted by the Air Convention, was published in November 2022.

Europe, China and the US could decarbonise 84% of global shipping emissions without IMO

A recent briefing from Transport & Environment (T&E) shows that Europe, China and the US could decarbonise 84% of all global shipping emissions without falling ...

First Forum for International Cooperation on Air Pollution

The first Taskforce Meeting of the Forum for International Cooperation on Air Pollution (FICAP) under the UNECE Convention ...

Air pollution major cause of death in Africa

A new report on the state of the air in Africa has been released. It shows that the African continent suffers from some ...

Emission Guide for Businesses

A Practical Guide For Business Air Pollutant Emission Assessment is a guide developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute ...

Clean air in courts

When scientists announce that the air you’re breathing is far more dangerous than previously understood, and your government does nothing ...

Western Balkans to receive a €500 million energy support package

In late October, commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union has pledged €500 million to improve the energy sector ...

Financial support for fertiliser industry

On 9 November the European Commission presented a communication on “Ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers”. It was announced as late as ...

Delhi choking again

During the first week of November, New Delhi’s air quality index was 472 with some areas recording values exceeding 800 ...

Europeans worried about air pollution

A new Eurobarometer survey published at the end of October shows that Europeans worry about air pollution. For those that had heard about the AAQDs ...

Carbon certification proposal risks climate action

On the last day of November, the EU Commission launched its proposal for certifying removals of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as part of its efforts to reach zero emissions by 2050.