Estimated number of people exposed to long-term harmful levels of road, rail and aircraft noise, EU-27

Units

END Thresholds are 55 dB Lden /50 dB Lnight: 55 dB averaged across day-evening-night periods (Lden) and 50 dB averaged across night-time periods (Lnight).
WHO Thresholds are source specific: 53 dB during the day-evening-night period and 45 dB during the night for Road, 54 dB during the day-evening-night period and 44 dB during the night for rail and 45 dB during the day-evening-night period and 40 dB during the night for aircraft.

Additional information

• Estimated number of people exposed to long-term harmful levels of road, rail and aircraft noise. (Left) Based on Environmental Noise Directive Thresholds in EU-27 for 2012, 2017, and 2022; (Right) Based on END and WHO Thresholds in EU-27 for 2022

• The estimated number of people is calculated using data reported under the terms of the END as well as a gap filled data in cities/countries where data was missing.

- Detailed information on the gap-filling methodology applied for 2012 and 2017 can be found in : https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-atni/products/etc-atni-reports/etc-atni-report-06-2021-noise-indicators-under-the-environmental-noise-directive-2021-methodology-for-estimating-missing-data

- The methodology for gap filling 2022 and 2017 baseline is described here: https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-he/products/etc-he-products/etc-he-reports/etc-he-report-2023-9-wp-3-2-5-3-development-of-a-2017-baseline-to-monitor-noise-under-the-zero-pollution-objectives

Detailed completeness of the data by country and year can be seen in: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/datahub/datahubitem-view/c952f520-8d71-42c9-b74c-b7eb002f939bn

• There may be double counting if the number of people affected by noise of the three sources is added up.

Geographical coverage:
It covers population exposed in EU-27 to noise sources such as roads with more than 3 million vehicle passages a year, railways with more than 30,000 train passages per year and airports with more than 50,000 aircraft movements per year, as well as all roads, railways, airports in urban areas with more than 100,000 inhabitants.

Methodology

• Noise data used in this assessment: Noise data reported under the Environmental Noise Directive (END).

• Gap filling methodologies: https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-atni/products/etc-atni-reports/etc-atni-report-06-2021-noise-indicators-under-the-environmental-noise-directive-2021-methodology-for-estimating-missing-data and https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-he/products/etc-he-products/etc-he-reports/etc-he-report-2023-9-wp-3-2-5-3-development-of-a-2017-baseline-to-monitor-noise-under-the-zero-pollution-objectives

• A 2017 baseline comparable to 2022 has been established using this methodology and is used in the noise outlook assessment: Development of a 2017 baseline to monitor noise under the zero pollution objectives - Methodological document.

• Methodology used to calculate number of people exposed below the END thresholds: Environmental noise health risk assessment: methodology for assessing health risks using data reported under the Environmental Noise Directive