In a significant step towards cleaner air for all Europeans, the EU Parliament has adopted ambitious new limits on key air pollutants that must be met by 2030. The goal is to reduce the staggering 300,000 premature deaths attributed to air pollution across Europe each year.

Under the new rules, EU member states will need to meet much stricter caps by 2030 on pollutants like particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide – substances known to have severe impacts on human health. Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius says these tougher standards could prevent up to 70% of those premature deaths over the next decade.

But cleaning up Europe’s air won’t be easy. Over 10 EU countries, including France, Poland and Italy, have already been taken to court for breaching current pollution limits. However, the new law gives citizens more power to hold their governments accountable. Those affected will now be able to take legal action if national rules are violated and may receive compensation for health damages.

Importantly, the law will make air quality monitoring more consistent and transparent. More sampling stations will be set up in cities, and currently fragmented air quality indices will become standardised and publicly available across all member states. This empowers citizens with the information they need to understand the risks and advocate for their right to clean air.

Spanish MEP Javi López, who spearheaded the law, called it “a significant victory in our continuous commitment to secure a safer, cleaner environment for all Europeans.” As air pollution disproportionately impacts vulnerable groups, he noted the updates will protect these populations more effectively.

While individual countries may request up to a 10-year extension on meeting the 2030 targets if certain conditions are met, the law puts the EU on a path to achieve its ultimate goal of reducing air pollution to levels no longer harmful to human health and the environment by 2050. Though challenges remain, it’s an important step towards making the simple act of breathing safe for everyone.

A step in the right direction for cleaner air

EMSOL, a leading provider of innovative air and noise pollution monitoring solutions, applauds the EU for taking this critical step towards improving air quality. However, we believe even more can and must be done at the local level to achieve truly healthy air for all.

While EU-wide standards are crucial, air pollution sources and impacts vary significantly from one community to the next. Cities and towns need local, real-time data to pinpoint pollution hotspots, identify the root causes, and take targeted action.

That’s where EMSOL comes in. Our smart environmental monitoring platform provides businesses and local authorities with the granular insights they need to go beyond compliance and proactively minimise emissions. EMSOL empowers organisations to understand precisely where pollution is coming from and track the impact of mitigation efforts over time.

Imagine a hospital being able to see that ambulance idling is spiking particulate levels and harming local air quality. Or a construction firm identifying exactly which machines are causing noise complaints from neighbours. With EMSOL, this level of visibility is possible. Armed with this intelligence, organisations can optimise their operations, engage staff and stakeholders, and innovate to cut pollution at the source.

So while we celebrate the EU’s progress and encourage all member states to embrace these life-saving reforms, we also urge businesses and local governments not to wait. The technology and insights to slash local pollution levels are available today. By leveraging tools like EMSOL in conjunction with strong EU and national policies, we can accelerate the journey to cleaner air for every European community.