Funchal can probably thank its location, for receiving the bronze medal in the European Championships in low particle levels. Photo:© anitasstudio / Shutterstock.com

Only 11 European cities have clean air

In July, the European Environment Agency (EEA) published its updated European City Air Quality Viewer report, which covers over 340 cities. Cities are ranked from the cleanest to the most polluted based on average levels of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) obtained from monitoring data over the past two calendar years. For air quality to be considered as good it needs to be below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) health-based guideline for long-term exposure to PM_2.5 of 5 micrograms per cubic metre of air (5 μg/m3 ). From 2020 to 2021, air quality was good in only 11 cities. The guideline was exceeded in 97% of the 343 European cities included inthe viewer. The European Union’s (EU) annual limit value for PM_2.5 is way higher than the WHO guideline, at 25 µg/ m3 , and was only exceeded in the three most polluted cities, including Nowy Sacz, Poland, and Cremona and Padova in Italy. Interested in your city?

The Air Quality Viewer is available to download at eea.europa.eu/highlights/air-pollution-which-europeancities?utm_ source=EEASubscriptions

Air pollutionAir qualityEuro standardsEurope

In this issue

EU must step up energy shift

Paris Agreement compatible scenarios need the EU to do much more to reduce emissions and increase renewables and energy savings.

Editorial: The EU can and must take stronger climate action

With the sustained heat, drought and forest fires that are wreaking havoc across Europe, one would think European countries would be incentivised to increase action to tackle climate change.

Keys to meet the 1.5°C target

Climate Action Network International (CAN) has issued several statements and articles in 2022 outlining how the UN should act on science policy in reviewing the long-term goal of the Climate Convention at COP 27.

European Union prepares for winter

In September, the European Parliament voted on several proposals to address the energy crisis. Meanwhile the EU Commission proposed a new law to manage energy prices.

Scientists agree: 100% renewable energy is possible

An increasing number of research studies show that an energy system based solely on renewable energy sources is possible by or before 2050.

Corporate leadership? Few businesses pledge to reduce their flying

Whilst corporate leaders pledge to reduce the climate impact of their businesses, too few go the extra mile and tackle the problem of air travel emissions.

Denmark aims to build world’s first energy island

An artificial island, with wind power and installations to convert excess energy into fuel, is planned in the North Sea. When completed it may provide electricity for 10 million households.

Member states are struggling to meet NEC directive

In 2020, less than half of member states met all their national emission reduction commitments. Only two of them are already in line with their 2030 commitments.

Improve communication on air quality research

More than half of Europeans do not feel well informed about their local air quality, according to a 2019 EU Commission survey.

Condensable aerosols contribute to inconsistent reporting

Condensable primary organic aerosol emissions, described from here on as condensables, are organic compounds that occur in the gas (vapour) phase at the chimney stack, but as the stack air is cooled and diluted, they can undergo both condensation and evaporation processes.

Wind technologies for cleaner shipping

A large ongoing EU project demonstrates that the expansion of direct wind propulsion technologies for ships will be an important and impactful step towards cleaner shipping.

Towards a Latin American agenda for a just socio-ecological transition

Climate Action Network Latin America hosted a series of regional dialogues during 2021 on how to jointly advance the climate, biodiversity and human rights agendas.

Ireland intends to cut farm emissions by a quarter by 2030

Greenhouse gas emissions from Ireland’s farming sector must drop by 25 per cent by 2030.

Navigating nitrogen

“The less fossil-fuel-based fertilisers we use, the less dependent we are on fossil fuel imports, ”Ursula von der Leyen stated in a response to one of the group leaders’ interventions just after her “State of the European Union” speech in the European Parliament on 14 September 2022.¹

How iron and steel emissions can be cut

The huge emissions from the steel industry can be virtually eliminated by using hydrogen from green power, or from other electric processes. CCS is not used, not needed and not likely to be a mitigation option.

Particles from electric vehicles

Electric cars cause more wear and tear on road and tyres due to the extra weight of the battery. Nevertheless they have lower net particle emissions than normal cars.

Climate change is everywhere – so is marine litter

As heavy rains and storms become more frequent more litter will be transported to the sea. Marine litter is projected to triple by 2040.

Failure or success of air pollution policies in Delhi?

The severe air pollution events in Delhi due to sharp economic and population growth have been widely reported.

Call for loss and damage and climate finance

The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is urging support for the adoption of loss and damage response finance at COP27 in Egypt in November 2022.