Air pollution exposure in the EU 2000-2021

The share of the European Union's urban population exposed to air pollutant concentrations above EU standards has fallen over the past two decades. In 2021, just one percent of the EU urban population was exposed to high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations, compared to 27 percent in 2000. However, 10 percent of the EU urban population were still exposed to high levels of PM10 and ozone (O3) in 2021.

Share of urban population exposed to pollutant concentrations above EU air quality standards in the European Union from 2000 to 2021, by pollutant type

Characteristic	PM2.5*	PM10	O3	NO2
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Release date

April 2023

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Region

Survey time period

2000 to 2021

Supplementary notes

Criteria for each pollutant: PM2.5 — population exposed to concentrations above 25 µg/m3; PM10 — population exposed to daily concentrations exceeding 50 µg/m3 for more than 35 days per year; O3 — population exposed to maximum daily 8-hour mean concentrations exceeding 120 µg/m3 for more than 25 days per year; NO2 — population exposed to annual concentrations above 40 µg/m3. These criteria are based on the limit values (for PM and NO2) and target values (for O3) set in the Ambient Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC.

*PM2.5 figures were not available prior to 2006.

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