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Air quality in Europe — 2013 report

Publication Created 19 Sep 2013 Published 14 Oct 2013
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This report presents an overview and analysis of air quality in Europe from 2002 to 2011. It reviews progress towards meeting the requirements of the air quality directives and gives an overview of policies and measures introduced at European level to improve air quality and minimise impacts. An overview of the latest findings and estimates of the effects of air pollution on health and its impacts on ecosystems is also given.
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Publication Created 19 Sep 2013 Published 14 Oct 2013
1 min read
EEA Report No 9/2013
This report presents an overview and analysis of air quality in Europe from 2002 to 2011. It reviews progress towards meeting the requirements of the air quality directives and gives an overview of policies and measures introduced at European level to improve air quality and minimise impacts. An overview of the latest findings and estimates of the effects of air pollution on health and its impacts on ecosystems is also given.

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: 978-92-9213-406-8
: TH-AL-13-010-EN-C

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Contributions to EU emissions of O3 precursors from main source sectors of NOX, NMVOC, CO and CH4, 2002–2011 (Gg/year = 1 000 tonnes/year) CH4 emissions excluding sector 5, LULUCF (land use, land use change and forestry)
Annual mean concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene (ng/m3), 2011 Dark green dots correspond to concentrations under the WHO reference level (0.12 ng/m3). Pale green dots correspond to concentrations under the lower assessment threshold (0.4 ng/m3). Orange dots correspond to concentrations between the lower and the upper assessment threshold (0.6 ng/m3). Red dots correspond to concentrations above the upper assessment threshold but under the target value of 1 ng/m3. Dark red dots correspond to concentrations exceeding the target value of 1 ng/m3.
Annual mean concentrations of heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead and nickel), 2011 The four maps shows the annual mean concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead and nickel in the year 2011
Annual mean benzene concentrations The map shows the annual mean benzene concentrations in 2011, based on annual averages with percentage of valid measurements >= 50% in μg/m3
Annual changes in concentrations of PM10, O3 and NO2 in the period 2001–2010 The data presented were derived from a consistent set of stations in all years. Statistically significant trends (level of significance 0.1) are calculated by applying the Mann-Kendall test. Increasing concentrations are indicated with red dots and decreasing concentrations with green dots, when statistically significant. The applied method is described in de Leeuw, 2012.
Percentage of the EU urban population exposed to air pollution exceeding WHO air quality guidelines The figure shows percentage of the EU urban population exposed to air pollution exceeding WHO air quality guidelines
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Attainment situation for annual mean concentration of BaP in 2011 The graph is based on the annual mean concentration values for each Member State; the boxes present the range of concentrations at all stations types (in ng/m3) officially reported by the EU Member States and how the concentrations relate to the limit value set by EU legislation (marked by the red line). The countries not included in the graph have not reported measured BaP concentrations. The diagram indicates the lowest and highest observations, the means and the lower and upper quartiles. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data.
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Concentration status for the benzo(a)pyrene target value in 2011 The graph is based on the annual mean concentrations of BaP (in ng/m3) for the various types of stations.
Attainment situation for annual limit value of benzene in 2011 The graph is based on the annual mean concentration values for each Member State; the boxes present the range of concentrations at all stations types (in μg/m3) officially reported by the EU Member States and how the concentrations relate to the limit value set by EU legislation (marked by the red line). The diagram indicates the lowest and highest observations, the means and the lower and upper quartiles. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data.
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Concentration status for the benzene limit value, 2011 The graph is based on the annual mean concentrations of benzene (in μg/m3) for the various types of stations.
EU emissions of As, Cd, Hg, Ni and Pb, 2002–2011, as a percentage of 2002 emissions The graph shows the development in As (and other heavy metals) emissions reported by the EU Member States between 2002 and 2011 as a percentage of 2002 emissions.
Attainment situation for the maximum daily 8-hour mean value of CO in 2011 The graph is based on the maximum daily 8-hour mean value of CO concentrations (in mg/m3) for each Member State; the boxes present the range of concentrations at all stations types officially reported by the EU Member States and how the concentrations relate to the limit value set by EU legislation (marked by the red line). The diagram indicates the lowest and highest observations, the means and the lower and upper quartiles. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data.
Archived
Concentration status for the CO limit value, 2011 The graph is based on the maximum daily 8-hour mean value of CO concentrations (in mg/m3) for the various types of stations.
Percentage of the EU urban population exposed to SO2 concentrations over the daily average limit value for protection of human health, 2002–2011 Monitoring data from AirBase provide the basis for estimating the European population's exposure to exceedances of the SO2 limit value of 125 µg/m3 as a daily average. According to the relevant directive, this limit value should not to be exceeded on more than three days in a year and was to be met by 2005.
Attainment situation for SO2 in 2011 The red line corresponds to the EU limit value of 125 μg/m3, EU Member States only. The graph is based on the 99.18 percentiles of the daily mean concentration values for each Member State; the boxes present the range of the 99.18 percentiles at all stations types (in μg/m3) with data officially reported by the EU Member States and how they relate to the daily limit value set by EU legislation (marked by the red line). The diagram indicates the lowest and highest observations, the means and the lower and upper quartiles. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data.
Archived
Concentration status for the daily (left) and hourly (right) limit values of SO2 for health protection, EU, 2011 The graphs are based on:the 99.18 percentile of the daily mean SO2 concentrations (in μg/m3), corresponding to the 4th highest as defined by the daily limit value (left); and the 99.73 percentile of the SO2 hourly concentrations, corresponding to the 25th highest as defined by the hourly limit value (right), for the various types of stations.
Percentage of the EU urban population potentially exposed to NO2 concentration over the limit value set for protection of human health, 2002–2011 The NO2 monitoring data in AirBase provide the basis for estimating the exposure of the European population to exceedances of the NO2 annual mean limit value of 40 µg/m3. Figure 4.4 presents this data for the period 2002–2011, based on NO2 measured at urban background monitoring stations.
Trends in NO2 annual mean (top) and NO2 hourly concentrations (bottom) in μg/m3, 2002–2011, per station type The graphs are based on annual mean concentration trends (top) and the trends in percentile 99.78 of NO2 hourly values (bottom); they present the range of concentration changes per year (in μg/m3) per station type (urban, traffic, rural, and other — mostly industrial). The trends are calculated based on the officially reported data by the EU Member States with a minimum data coverage of 75 % of valid data per year for at least 8 years out of the 10-year period. The diagram indicates the lowest and highest trends, the means and the lower and upper quartiles, per station type. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data.
Archived
Attainment situation for annual limit value of NO2 in 2011 The graph is based on the annual mean concentration values for each EU Member State; the boxes present the range of concentrations at all stations types (in μg/m3) officially reported by the EU Member States and how the concentrations relate to the limit value set by EU legislation (marked by the red line). The diagram indicates the lowest and highest observations, the means and the lower and upper quartiles. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data.
Archived
Concentration status for the annual (left) and hourly (right) NO2 limit value for different station types in the EU in 2011 The graphs are based on the annual mean NO2 concentrations (in μg/m3) (left) and the 99.78 percentile of the NO2 hourly concentrations, corresponding to the 19th highest as defined by the limit value (right), for the various types of stations.
Percentage of the EU urban population exposed to ozone concentrations over the target value threshold set for protection of human health, 2002–2011 The O3 monitoring data in AirBase provide the basis for estimating the urban exposure of the European population to exceedances of the EU's O3 target value (applicable from 2010) for the protection of human health, for the period 2002–2011.
EU Emissions of O3 precursor gases CH4 emissions are total emissions (IPPC sectors 1–7) excluding sector 5, LULUCF (land use, land use change and forestry).
Archived
Trends in the maximum daily 8-hour O3 concentrations (in μg/m3) (2002–2011) per station type The graph is based on the 93.15 percentile of the maximum daily 8-hour O3 concentration trends; it presents the range of concentration changes per year (in μg/m3) per station type. The trends are calculated based on the officially reported data by the EU Member States with a minimum data coverage of 75 % of valid data per year for at least 8 years out of the 10 years period. The diagram indicates the lowest and highest trends, the means and the lower and upper quartiles, per station type. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data.
Archived
Concentration status for the target value threshold for protection of human health (top) and objectives for protection of crops (bottom left) and forests (bottom right), in 2011 The graphs are based on: the 93.15 percentile of the daily maximum of the running 8-h mean O3 concentrations (in μg/m3), corresponding to the 26th highest as defined by the target value, and for the various types of stations (top); AOT40 concentrations (in (μg/m3).h) measured in rural stations in the EU for the protection of vegetation (accumulated over May to July) (bottom left); and AOT40 concentrations (in (μg/m3).h) measured in rural stations in the EU for the protection of forests (accumulated over April to September) (bottom right). The CLRTAP critical level for the protection of forests (Mills et al., 2011) is set at 10 000 (μg/m3).h for AOT40 (the accumulated dose of O3 over a threshold of 40 ppb, equivalent to 80 μg/m3, from 1 April to 30 September).
Archived
Urban PM2.5 concentrations presented as multi-annual average in EU, 2009–2011 The three-year running mean of PM2.5 concentrations (2009–2011) is calculated as the average over all operational (sub) urban background stations within a Member State in the period 2009–2011. The orange dots correspond to AEI-values as provided by the EU Member States in the air quality questionnaire (reporting year 2011; reference period 2009–2011 except Poland: reference period 2010–2011).
Contributions to EU emissions from main source sectors of primary PM, NOX, SOX, NMVOCs and NH3, 2002–2011 (Gg/year = 1 000 tonnes/year) This figure shows the sectoral output of primary PM and precursor gases Various source sectors contribute to the primary anthropogenic PM and precursor gases
EU Emissions of primary PM and of PM precursor gases Emissions of primary PM fell in the EU by 14 % for PM10 and 16 % for PM2.5 between 2002 and 2011. The reductions in the same period for the 32 EEA member countries were 9 % for PM10 and also 16 % for PM2.5.
Archived
Trends in PM10 (top graph, 2002–2011) and PM2.5 (bottom graph, 2006–2011) annual concentrations (in μg/m3) per station type The graphs are based on annual mean concentration trends for PM10 (top) and PM2.5 (bottom); they present the range of concentration changes per year (in μg/m3) per station type (urban, traffic, rural and other — mostly industrial). The trends are calculated based on the officially reported data by the EU Member States with a minimum data coverage of 75 % of valid data per year, for at least 8 out of the 10 years period for PM10 and for at least 5 out of the 6 years period for PM2.5. In 2006, France introduced a nation-wide system to correct PM10 measurements. French PM10 data prior to 2007 have been corrected here using station-type dependent factors (de Leeuw and Fiala, 2009). The diagram indicates the lowest and highest trends, the means and the lower and upper quartiles, per station type. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data.
Attainment situation for PM10, PM2.5 and O3 in 2011 The graph is based on the 90.41 percentile of PM10 daily mean concentration values corresponding to the 36th highest daily mean for each Member State; the boxes present the range of concentrations at all stations types (in μg/m3) officially reported by the EU Member States and how the concentrations relate to the limit value set by EU legislation (marked by the red line). The diagram indicates the lowest and highest observations, the means and the lower and upper quartiles. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data. The graph is based on PM2.5 annual mean concentration values; they present the range of concentrations at all stations types (in μg/m3) officially reported by the EU Member States and how the concentrations relate to the target value set by EU legislation (marked by the red line). The diagram indicates the lowest and highest observations, the means and the lower and upper quartiles. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data. The graph is based on the 93.15 percentile of maximum daily 8-hour mean concentration values corresponding to the 26th highest daily maximum of the running 8-h mean for each Member State; the boxes present the range of concentrations at all stations types (in μg/m3) officially reported by the EU Member States and how the concentrations relate to the target value set by EU legislation (marked by the red line). The diagram indicates the lowest and highest observations, the means and the lower and upper quartiles. The lower quartile splits the lowest 25 % of the data and the upper quartile splits the highest 25 % of the data.
Archived
Concentration status for daily limit value of PM10 (left) and for annual target value of PM2.5 (right), 2011 The left figure is based on the 90.41 percentile of the PM10 daily concentrations, corresponding to the 36th highest daily PM10 concentration, used to compare with the PM10 daily limit value of 50 μg/m3.
Archived
Percentage of urban population resident in areas where pollutant concentrations are higher than selected limit/target values, 2001-2011 (EU-27) The rationale for selection of pollutant and corresponding limit/target values for CSI 004 is given in the justification for indicator selection. Only urban and sub-urban background monitoring stations have been included in the calculations. Data for Cyprus, Greece and Malta, are not included due to the geographical coverage of the Urban Audit.
Annual mean fine particulate matter (PM2.5) 2010, based on annual average with percentage of valid measurements ≥ 75 % in μg/m3 The red dots indicate stations reporting exceedances of the 2010 annual target value (25 μg/m3) plus at least 5 μg/m3. The dark orange dots indicate stations reporting exceedances of the 2010 annual target value (25 μg/m3), as set out in the Air Quality Directive. The orange dots indicate stations reporting exceedances of the 2020 indicative annual limit value (20 μg/m3), as set out in the Air Quality Directive. The pale green dots indicate stations reporting exceedances of the WHO air quality guideline for PM2.5 of less than 10 μg/m3 but not in exceedance of target or limit values for PM2.5 as set out in the Air Quality Directive. The dark green dots indicate stations reporting concentrations below the WHO air quality guideline for PM2.5 and implicitly below the target and limit values for PM2.5 as set out in the Air Quality Directive
Ozone AOT40 for forest, 2010 The map shows the exposure of European forest areas to ozone (AOT40), reference year 2010
Exposure of European agricultural areas to ozone (AOT40) The map shows the Ozone AOT40 for crops, reference year 2010
Archived
AirBase - Exchange of information Location of stations for which 2011 air quality data for components O3, PM10, NO2, SO2, C6H6, PM2.5, Pb, CO have been reported. Observed concentration maps for which 2011 air quality data for components O3, PM10, NO2, SO2, C6H6, PM2.5, CO, BaP, Pb, Cd, As and Ni have been reported.

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