Europe’s air quality status 2023

PM₁₀ stands for particulate matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less. PM₁₀ are emitted mainly by the combustion of solid fuels for domestic heating, while industrial activities, agriculture and road transport are also important sources. Some also come from natural sources such as sea salt, Saharan dust or volcanos, and some (called secondary PM) are formed in the atmosphere from the combination of different gases (as for instance, ammonia and nitrogen dioxide).

Concentrations above the EU daily limit value for PM₁₀ are seen mainly in Italy and some eastern European countries (Figures 2 and 4). In most central and eastern European countries, solid fuels such as coal are widely used for heating households and in some industrial facilities and power plants. The Po Valley, in northern Italy, is a densely populated and industrialised area with specific meteorological and geographical conditions that favour the accumulation of air pollutants in the atmosphere.

Figure 2. Concentrations of PM₁₀ in 2021 and 2022 in relation to the EU daily limit value

Note: The map shows the 90.4 percentile of the PM₁₀ daily mean concentrations, representing the 36th highest value in a complete series. It is related to the PM₁₀ daily limit value, allowing 35 exceedances of the 50 µg/m³ threshold over one year.

Figure 3: Percentage of reporting monitoring stations registering PM₁₀ concentrations above the EU limit values and the WHO guideline levels in 2021 and 2022

Concentrations of PM₁₀ above the EU daily limit value were measured at 15% of monitoring stations (Figure 3), 86% of which were urban and 10% suburban.

Furthermore, Italy and Poland reported exceedances of the PM₁₀ daily limit value based on assessment models for 7 and 24 air quality zones, respectively.

Figure 4. PM₁₀ concentrations in 2021 by country in relation to the EU daily limit value

Note: The figure shows, per country, the concentrations of each reported station, the minimum and maximum concentrations, the median and the percentiles 25 (“Lower Hinge”) and 75 (“Upper Hinge”) of all the measurements.

PM_2.5 stands for particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less. These particles are emitted mainly from the combustion of solid fuels for domestic heating, industrial activities and road transport. As with PM₁₀, they can also come from natural sources and can be formed in the atmosphere. Agricultural emissions of ammonia make a significant contribution to the formation of fine particulate matter in the atmosphere.

The highest PM_2.5 concentrations were seen in northern Italy and some eastern European countries (Figures 5 and 7). As for PM₁₀, the use of solid fuels is the main reason for the situation in central and eastern Europe, together with an older vehicle fleet. In northern Italy, the high concentrations are due to the combination of a high density of anthropogenic emissions and meteorological and geographical conditions that favour the accumulation of air pollutants in the atmosphere and the formation of secondary particles.

Figure 5. Concentrations of PM_2.5 in 2021 and 2022 in relation to the EU annual limit value and the WHO annual guideline level

Figure 6: Percentage of reporting monitoring stations registering PM_2.5 concentrations above the EU annual limit value and the WHO guideline levels in 2021 and 2022

Concentrations of PM_2.5 above the EU annual limit value were registered at 2% of monitoring stations (Figure 6), 72% of which were urban and 23% suburban.

Furthermore, Italy and Poland reported exceedances of the PM_2.5 annual limit value based on assessment models for 5 and 46 air quality zones, respectively.

In 2021, all EU Member States continued to meet the exposure concentration obligation of 20 µg/m³, based on a 3-year average (2019-2021) measured at urban background stations, that was to be attained as of 2015 under the Ambient Air Quality Directive. Furthermore, only Romania did not meet the national exposure reduction target set for 2020. This indicator assesses the long-term exposure of the general population in urban areas.

Figure 7: PM_2.5 concentrations in 2021 by country in relation to the EU annual limit value and the WHO annual guideline level

Note: The figure shows, per country, the concentrations of each reported station, the minimum and maximum concentrations, the median and the percentiles 25 (“Lower Hinge”) and 75 (“Upper Hinge”) of all the measurements.

An increase in PM levels could be expected in 2022 from the expected increase in the use of wood and coal as fuel, as a result of the energy crisis and higher gas prices seen in that period. Nevertheless, the data presented here are 2022 annual averages, and the beginning of the winter 2022-2023 was milder than usual in Europe.

Ozone (O₃) is a pollutant formed in the atmosphere when heat and light cause chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including methane. Emissions of these gases occur from anthropogenic sources and, in the case of VOCs, also biogenic. Ozone also is transported to Europe from other parts of the northern hemisphere and from the upper atmosphere. Meteorology plays an important role in the formation and dispersion of air pollution and in interannual variation in concentrations, and this effect is especially significant for ozone.

Figure 8. Concentrations of O₃ in 2021 and 2022 in relation to the EU target value

Note: The map shows the 93.2 percentile of the O₃ maximum daily eight−hour mean, representing the 26th highest value in a complete series. It is related to the O₃ target value.

Data are presented here for one year only, not the average over a three-year period as stated in the definition of the EU target value for O₃.

The highest concentrations in 2021 were found in some Mediterranean and Eastern countries (Figures 8 and 10).

Figure 9: Percentage of reporting monitoring stations registering O₃ concentrations above the EU target value and the WHO guideline levels in 2021 and 2022

The long-term EU objective for ozone of 120 µg/m³ was met at 21% of monitoring stations in 2021, with all reporting countries reporting stations with concentrations above the long-term objective.

Italy reported exceedances of the O₃ target value for the protection of health based on assessment models for 2 air quality zones. Italy and Poland reported exceedances of the O₃ long-term objective for the protection of health for 5 and 42 air quality zones, respectively.

Figure 10. O₃ concentrations in 2021 by country in relation to the EU target value

Note: The figure shows, per country, the concentrations of each reported station, the minimum and maximum concentrations, the median and the percentiles 25 (“Lower Hinge”) and 75 (“Upper Hinge”) of all the measurements.

Data are presented here for one year only, not the average over a three-year period as stated in the definition of the EU target value for O₃.

In 2022, the long-term EU objective for ozone was met at 12% of monitoring stations, with all 31 reporting countries registering concentrations above the long-term objective.

The main source of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is road transport, which emits NO2 close to the ground, mostly in densely populated areas, contributing to population exposure. Other important sources are combustion processes in industry and energy supply.

The highest concentrations were found in some big cities with a high volume of traffic (Figures 11 and 13). In general, maximum annual concentrations of NO₂ continued to fall in 2021 and 2022. In areas where maximum values have increased, they have not reached the levels observed before COVID-19.

Figure 11: Concentrations of NO₂ in 2021 and 2022 in relation to the EU annual limit value and the WHO annual guideline level

Figure 12. Percentage of reporting monitoring stations registering NO₂ concentrations above the EU limit values and the WHO guideline levels in 2021 and 2022

Concentrations of NO₂ above the EU annual limit value were registered at 3% of all monitoring stations (Figure 12), 75% of which were traffic stations.

Belgium, Italy and Poland reported exceedances of the NO₂ annual limit value based on assessment models for 2, 1 and 4 air quality zones, respectively.

Figure 13. NO₂ concentrations in 2021 by country and in relation to the EU annual limit value and the WHO annual guideline level

Note: The figure shows, per country, the concentrations of each reported station, the minimum and maximum concentrations, the median and the percentiles 25 (“Lower Hinge”) and 75 (“Upper Hinge”) of all the measurements.

Concentrations of NO₂ above the annual limit value were registered at 1% of monitoring stations, all of which were traffic stations.

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a carcinogenic pollutant emitted mainly from the combustion of coal and wood for heating and, to a lesser extent, from the combustion of agricultural waste, and industrial installations.

The highest concentrations were found in eastern Europe (Figures 14 and 15), where the use of coal and other solid fuels for residential heating is widespread.

Figure 14. Concentrations of BaP in 2021

Concentrations above 1.0 ng/m³ were registered at 27% of the reported monitoring stations, the majority of which were urban (78%) or suburban (17%).

Greece and Poland reported exceedances of the BaP target value based on assessment models for 3 and 38 air quality zones, respectively.

Figure 15: BaP concentrations in 2021 by country

Note: The figure shows, per country, the concentrations of each reported station, the minimum and maximum concentrations, the median and the percentiles 25 (“Lower Hinge”) and 75 (“Upper Hinge”) of all the measurements.

Concentrations of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) in 2021:

• 5 out of 37 reporting countries^[4], including one EU Member State, registered levels above the EU daily limit value of 125 µg/m³
• 19 countries, including 12 EU Member States, registered values above the WHO daily guideline level of 40 µg/m^{3 [5]}

In 2021, concentrations above the EU daily limit value were registered at 1% of reporting monitoring stations.

Poland reported exceedances of the SO₂ daily limit value based on assessment models for 1 air quality zone.

In 2022, concentrations of SO₂ above the EU daily limit value were registered in only one reporting station outside the EU (in Serbia). In the same year, concentrations above the WHO daily guideline level were registered in 10 countries (including 7 EU Member States), out of 33 reporting countries.