The most comprehensive report to date on the health effects of environmental pollution shows that filthy air, contaminated water and other polluted parts of our environment kill more people worldwide each year than almost everything else combined – smoking, hunger, natural disasters, war, murder, AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Air quality leads the Four Horses of the Pollution Apocalypse. The World Health Organization estimates that seven million deaths each year are linked to poor air quality alone.
So it is noteworthy that the European Union has delayed implementation of their highly anticipated Euro 7/VII vehicle pollution emission standards for cars, vans, and heavy-duty vehicles. That action puts lives at risk and, according to the organization T&E (Transportation and Environment), there is no justification for such a delay beyond the pressure from the car industry.
The attempt to reduce carbon emissions coupled with the Pandemic has led to a bumpy two years. First emissions rose as Germany killed their nuclear plants and constructed new coal plants. Then they dropped as the Pandemic crippled economic activity. Then soared as nations recovered quicker than expected.
So what is the net effect?
The energy experts at Uswitch used last years’ air quality records from the World Air Quality Index (WAQI) project to assess various European capitals to determine which had the largest decline or greatest improvement in air quality over the last year (see figures).
Athens, Greece, is experiencing the biggest improvement in air quality with a 34.85% drop in air pollutants from 2019 to 2021. The city was the second most polluted capital in 2019, registering 83.94 units of PM2.5. Despite that, Athens has witnessed the greatest increase in air quality between 2019 and 2020 with a striking 42.93% plunge in air pollutants – probably a result of the pandemic as industrial activities slowed but which have not yet rebounded.
Dublin is the second European capital where air pollution levels are significantly plummeting – a 24.76% decrease from 2019 to 2021.
Stockholm saw an 18.05% drop in air pollutants across the three year period. Unlike Athens and Dublin, which see smog returning to both cities in 2021 as the economy recovers, Stockholm continues to maintain an upward shift in air quality with a 5.5% decrease in air pollutants between 2020 and 2021.
Despite having the highest level of fine particulate matter, PM2.5, throughout the three-year timeframe – peaking at 85.21 units in 2019 – Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina takes fourth place with its air pollutants dropping by 13.63% throughout 2019 and 2021. Following just 1.4% behind Sarajevo in fifth is Copenhagen, Denmark, with a 12.21% decline in air pollutants.
On the other side of the spectrum is Reykjavík, Iceland which has suffered the worst drop in air quality over this time period, with a 13.99% increase in air pollutants from 2019 to 2021, despite having the least amount of harmful fine particles (PM2.5) out of all cities analyzed – averaging only 14.65 units over three years.
Budapest, Hungary ranks second highest in its increase in air pollutants at 12.24%, with air pollution levels steadily rising even during 2020, the year of lockdowns. The Estonian capital of Tallinn was not far behind with air pollutants increasing 11.06%.
Ben Galizzi, author of the study, noted that “Improving your energy efficiency isn’t as hard as you might think. You can help tackle air pollution by making a few simple changes to your home and lifestyle. Using energy-efficient bulbs and appliances in your home may sound like a small thing, but they’re an easy way to reduce your energy emissions. And switching to an electric car provides an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fuel-powered vehicles. With lots of high-quality, cost-effective home charging options now available, going electric is easier than ever.”
See the study for methodology and data sources.
