The EU's environment watchdog has said air pollution is "the single largest environmental health hazard in Europe." Around 467,000 premature deaths in 41 European countries were linked to air pollution in 2013.
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The Copenhagen-based European Environment Agency (EEA) released its annual report on air quality in Europe on Wednesday blaming coal and biomass burning industries, power plants and households for hundreds of thousands of premature deaths across Europe. That's despite improvements to air quality in recent decades.
"Emissions reductions have led to improvements in air quality in Europe, but not enough to avoid unacceptable damage to human health and the environment," EEA Executive Director Hans Bruyninckx said in a statement. "We need to tackle the root causes of air pollution, which calls for a fundamental and innovative transformation of our mobility, energy and food systems."
The report argues that more efforts are needed from public authorities and businesses, as well as citizens and researchers to address the dangers of air pollution. Particle pollution as well as ground-level ozone and nitrogen dioxide cause or worsen respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease, cancer and shorten life-spans, the report said. Ground-level ozone can also reduce crop yields harming food production and economies, it added.
The report drew on monitoring data from more than 400 cities between 2000 and 2014. Despite improvements, about 85 percent of EU urban residents in 2014 were exposed to particle pollution at levels deemed harmful to health by the World Health Organization which has stricter standards than Europe.
Germany failing on 3 of 4 emission targets
The EEA says that since 2010, some 10 EU member states have exceeded their emission ceilings for nitrogen oxide that's largely generated by automobiles. Germany, which burns coal to produce about half of its electricity, was the only EU member to exceed three out of four of its emission ceilings: nitrogen oxides, ammonia - largely from agriculture - and non-methane volatile organic compounds that are largely generated from a number of industrial sources.
The European Parliament is scheduled to formally vote this week on revising the National Emission Ceilings Directive that would make limits even stricter. EU members would be then expected to ratify their agreement with the changes before the end of the year though they aren't as strict as originally proposed in 2013.
"This week I hope that the European Parliament will vote positively on our reduction commitments in the new National Emission Ceilings Directive," Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said in a statement. "This will provide direction for national and local actors."
The big smog: Cities plagued by air pollution
Smog hangs over Ulan Bator - like every winter. This air pollution and intense cold is damaging the lungs of 19-year-old Tsegi. But it’s not only Mongolia’s capital: Here's a look at some of the worst cities for bad air.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Ulan Bator, Mongolia
Ulan Bator is not only one of the coldest capitals on earth, it's also a city with massive air pollution. During the winter months, yurts like Tsegi’s are heated with coal and wood which contributes up to 70 percent of the smog in the city. Air pollution in Ulan Bator is seven times higher than what is considered safe by the WHO.
Image: DW/Robert Richter
Beijing, China
The Chinese capital has been suffering from smog so heavy that scientists say the city is almost uninhabitable - although it is home to 20 million people. Models suggest that 3.5 million people die globally every year because of air pollution - almost half of them in China. Having said this, it might be a surprise to learn that smog is an even bigger problem in other cities across the world.
Image: picture alliance/Photoshot
Lahore, Pakistan
Air pollution is one of Pakistan's main environmental concerns. The situation is particularly dramatic in the country's second largest city, Lahore. The smog is caused primarily by the high volume of road traffic, rubbish incineration and dust from the surrounding deserts.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
New Delhi, India
In the nearly 10 million-strong city of New Delhi, the number of cars has increased from 180,000 to 3.5 million in the last 30 years. Still, it's the city's coal powered plants that are causing the biggest problem. They contribute to around 80 percent of the total air pollution in the city.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Sandstorms, like here in Riyadh, can contribute to smog forming because they increase the amount of particles in the air. In a place like Saudi Arabia, the intense ultra-violet rays also transform transport and industry emissions into ozone.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Cairo, Egypt
The poor air quality in Cairo causes a number illnesses among city residents, like chronic respiratory problems and lung cancer. The reason for the air pollution is an increase in road traffic and the booming industrial sector.
Image: DW Akademie/J. Rahe
Dhaka, Bangladesh
According to a study by the Max-Planck Institute in Mainz, some 15,000 people die every year in Dhaka due to air pollution. Researchers found the world's highest concentration of sulfur dioxide there.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Moscow, Russia
Even if it looks the same the world over, smog is different, depending on the city. Smog in Moscow, for instance, is characterized by high amounts of hydrocarbons. The westerly winds which regularly plow across Moscow mean that the western part of the city generally has better air quality.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Mexico City, Mexico
The smog in Mexico City is made worse by the geographical location. The city is surrounded on three sides by mountains. Due to the high levels of sulfur dioxide and hydrocarbons in the air, Mexico City was long considered one of the most polluted cities in the world. The situation is now improving due to new transport policies and certain factories being shut down.
