About: air quality
Number of German cities with poor air quality more than halved in 2019
Air quality in Germany is getting better. Last year, only 25 instead of 57 cities exceeded the limit values for nitrogen dioxide. However, experts are warning this is based on short-term effects and suggest now is the time to rethink transport. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Challenging Bulgarian coal plants’ new waste burning obsession
On Monday (March 2), a European and a Bulgarian non-governmental organisation, ClientEarth and “For Earth – Access to Justice”, are filing a complaint with the European Commission in an attempt to challenge Bulgaria’s new obsession of burning waste in coal...
Merkel, state leaders agree terms of brown coal exit
Germany has reached an agreement with the regions most affected by a plan to phase out the use of brown coal, or lignite, for its power plants by providing about 40 billion euros ($45 billion) in aid, a document reviewed by Reuters showed.
Implementing clean air rules the eternal problem, as EU countries told to raise game
Industry, agriculture and transport were asked to decrease air pollution at a high-level EU forum in Slovakia on clean air but the responsible ministers and new Commissioners were absent from the Bratislava event.
How air quality rules stack up across Europe
Air quality is rapidly becoming more and more of an emotionally-charged subject as the health implications become more explicit. Here is how things stand at both EU and national level.
Unclogging one of the most congested cities in the world
Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta, is one of the most congested in the world. In an effort to improve the dire situation on its roads, public transport heads have turned to Europe for inspiration.
International alliance of cities commits to tackling air pollution
Poor air quality causes 422,000 premature deaths deaths each year in Europe and EU member states have repeatedly been singled out for exceeding pollution thresholds. At the C40 Summit on Friday (11 October), 35 cities decided to take the matter into their own hands. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Poland’s multi-billion-euro clean air quest in peril
A €25 billion clean air programme launched by the Polish government is in danger of losing EU support. Warsaw has until Friday (21 June) to prove its commitment, according to a letter sent by the European Commission and seen by EURACTIV.
Karmenu Vella: ‘Facts and science still carry the day’ for clean air champions
Thousands of protesters across Europe have taken to the streets over the last few years to demand cleaner air. The European Commission's environment chief, Karmenu Vella, explains how he has fought for higher standards during his term in office.
Europe’s most deprived areas ‘hit hardest by air pollution’
Europe’s poorest, least educated and most jobless regions are bearing the brunt of the air pollution crisis, according to the first official stocktake of its kind. EURACTIV's partner The Guardian reports.
Gas chief: LNG can help cut air pollution, boost human health
Shipping is responsible for over 3% of global emissions with that number expected to grow. Owners and operators will have to decide how to clean up their vessels and liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a potential solution, Gas Infrastructure Europe's Wim Groenendijk told EURACTIV.
An EU anti-smog fund for Poland
Poland has some of the worst air quality in the EU. But fighting smog is expensive. The Modernisation Fund set up as part of the Emissions Trading Scheme could help here, writes Joanna Maćkowiak-Pandera.OpinionPromoted content
The importance of periodic vehicle emission tests for air quality
Many cities in Europe have problems because they exceed the current limits for air pollutants. Some of them are even considering banning diesel vehicles in general to batten down the hatches, writes Gerhard Müller.
Transport’s role in improving air quality in Europe: How best to co-ordinate regulation?
Some 40 million people in the 115 largest cities in the European Union are exposed to air exceeding WHO air quality guideline values for at least one pollutant, resulting in approximately 100,000 premature adult deaths each year.
Europe grapples with policy patchwork to tackle air pollution
The patchwork of measures to fight air pollution currently in place across European cities is not only inefficient but sometimes counter-productive, said participants at a EURACTIV event on Tuesday (26 June).
Unhealthy buildings need political and public attention, says report
EU negotiators hope to wrap up talks on the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) this week, which will significantly affect the building sector. A new report released on 28 May says buildings have a crucial but often overlooked impact on health and renovation can be beneficial to our quality of life.
Europe’s quest to overtake spectre of Dieselgate
The 2015 Dieselgate scandal might have been a blessing in disguise, propelling car emissions smack bang into the public spotlight. The EU is now making fresh attempts to bring the transport sector to heel, although there are still plenty of miles to cover.
Neftohim refinery boss: Europe’s refining sector will consolidate, improve
The number of oil refineries in Europe is likely to decrease but those that remain will be truly competitive, highly technological and highly efficient, Ilshat Sharafutdinov told EURACTIV in an interview.
Europe’s attempts to spark an electric vehicle revolution
Transport is one of the EU’s few sectors where emissions are actually growing. Brussels believes that electric vehicle uptake is one of the main solutions to halt this trend but what steps are being taken to decarbonise our roads?
Commission gears up against air polluters, sends six countries to court
The European Commission announced on Thursday (17 May) the launch of legal action against six member states accused of breaking air pollution limits. Three other polluters were put on notice for now.
Over 95% of world’s population breathe dangerous air, study finds
More than 95% of the world’s population breathe unsafe air and the burden is falling hardest on the poorest communities, with the gap between the most polluted and least polluted countries rising rapidly, a comprehensive study of global air pollution has found. EURACTIV's partner The Guardian reports.
France’s statues dressed in pollution masks as EU legal decision looms
Statues in a number of French cities were adorned with masks on Saturday (31 March) to highlight what activists say is a failure to tackle smog and air pollution. The European Commission will reveal next month if France is among the countries that will face legal action.
Bozhidar Danev: Part of Bulgaria’s fuel sector lies in the grey economy
Unusually low fuel prices in Bulgaria are probably the result of cartels, or contraband, Bozhidar Danev told EURACTIV.com in an exclusive interview, saying the authorities have so far been unable or unwilling to address the issue.