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Smog hangs over the Polish city of Krakow
Photo: LUKASZ GAGULSKI / EPA-EFE
Hundreds of thousands of people die prematurely every year in the European Union - due to air pollution from fine dust and other pollutants.
An estimated 307,000 people were killed in the EU in 2019.
This was announced by the European Environment Agency (EEA).
Tens of thousands of people died prematurely in Germany alone.
The WHO advises stricter limit values
According to the EEA, more than half of these premature deaths in the EU - 58 percent - could theoretically have been prevented if all member states had complied with the new guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO).
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In September, the WHO made the recommended limit values for pollutants in the air much stricter: what the organization considers to be justifiable in terms of health is well below the currently applicable EU guideline values. Even before that, the maximum value recommended by the WHO was below the information in the EU guidelines.
The WHO rates particulate matter as a health risk "of particular importance for public health".
This is mainly caused by the burning of fuels, in traffic, in the energy sector, in households, in industry and agriculture.
In 2013, outdoor air pollution and particulate matter were classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Fine dust can penetrate deep into the lungs, and tiny particles can even get into the bloodstream, which affects the cardiovascular system and the respiratory tract, but also affects other organs.
According to WHO estimates, seven million people die prematurely worldwide every year as a result of air pollution.
Investments that save lives
However, what the EEA data on the 27 EU member states and 14 other European countries also shows: The air quality in Europe was better in 2019 than in the previous year.
In the long term, air pollution will decrease.
Investing in clean heating, transport, agriculture and industry means better health, productivity and quality of life for all Europeans, said EEA Executive Director Hans Bruyninckx.
"These investments save lives and also help to accelerate progress towards CO₂ neutrality and strong biodiversity."
As part of its so-called European Green Deal, the EU Commission has set the goal of reducing the number of premature deaths from exposure to particulate matter by more than 55 percent by 2030 compared to 2005.
According to the EEA, the number of deaths fell by around a third between 2005 and 2019.
Other types of air pollution also lead to premature deaths: around 40,400 people in the EU died prematurely due to chronic exposure to nitrogen dioxide, and 16,800 more deaths were due to ground-level ozone.
According to the EEA, air pollution from fine dust, nitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone is the greatest threat to health in Europe from the environment.
Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of premature death, followed by lung disease and cancer.
vki / dpa