Global Courant 2023-04-24 03:46:22
The report suggests that the overall death toll on the continent could be higher as it did not include major industrial countries such as Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
A fake doll to measure pollution in Antwerp, Belgium, the second most polluting city in Europe. (AFP)
Air pollution causes more than 1,200 premature deaths a year in people under the age of 18 across Europe, increasing the risk of chronic diseases later in life, the EU environment agency said on Monday.
Despite recent developments, "levels of major air pollutants in many European countries remain stubbornly above World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, particularly in central eastern Europe and Italy," the EEA said after a survey of more than 30 countries, including 27. " said. European Union members.
The report did not cover major industrial countries such as Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom and suggested that the overall death toll on the continent could be higher.
The EEA announced last November that 238,000 people died prematurely in 2020 due to air pollution in the EU, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
"Air pollution causes more than 1,200 premature deaths per year in people under 18 in Europe and significantly increases the risk of disease in later life," the agency said.
The study was the agency's first to focus specifically on children.
“While the number of premature deaths in this age group is low relative to the European population total estimated by the EEA each year, early-life deaths represent a loss of future potential and come with a significant burden of chronic disease, both in childhood and later in life. ' said the agency.
He urged authorities to focus on improving air quality around schools and kindergartens, as well as sports facilities and public transport hubs.
"After birth, environmental air pollution increases the risk of various health problems, including asthma, reduced lung function, respiratory infections and allergies," the report says.
seven million deaths a year
Poor air quality can also "aggravate chronic conditions such as asthma, which affects nine percent of children and adolescents in Europe, and also increase the risk of certain chronic diseases later in adulthood".
Ninety-seven percent of the urban population was exposed to air in 2021 that did not meet WHO recommendations, according to figures released Monday.
The EEA underlined last year that the EU is on track to meet its target of reducing premature deaths by 50 percent by 2030 compared to 2005.
In the early 1990s, fine particles caused around one million premature deaths per year in 27 EU countries. That fell to 431,000 in 2005.
The WHO, which blames air pollution for seven million deaths worldwide each year, says the situation in Europe looks better than most of the planet, almost mostly due to smoking or malnutrition.
Several hundred thousand of the deaths concern children under the age of 15.
It took until September 2021 to reach agreement on tightening the limits set for major pollutants in 2005.
Fine particulate matter, primarily from cars and trucks, which can penetrate deep into the lungs, is considered the worst air pollutant, followed by nitrogen dioxide and ozone.
READ MORE: Air pollution still kills 300,000 people a year in Europe: EU environment agency
Source: AFP
Air pollution kills 1200 children a year
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