Most European Union countries broke at least one air pollution limit in 2020, even as Covid-19 lockdowns improved air quality in many regions.
According to data by the European Environment Agency (EEA) published on Tuesday, hotspots in eight EU countries broke annual limits of nitrogen dioxide pollution last year, a large improvement from the previous year which saw 18 countries exceeding limits.
The reduction was partly driven by the widespread lockdowns introduced in 2020 to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, which sharply reduced road traffic, the main source of nitrogen dioxide pollution.
Meanwhile, areas in eight countries broke the daily EU limits for particulate matter (a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air) last year, compared with 16 countries in 2019, while only two broke the yearly limit, the EEA added.
Around 10 EU countries landed in court in recent years over excessive air pollution, which remains Europe’s biggest environmental health risk, despite improvements in air quality.
The European Commission has said that it will revise the EU’s pollution limits next year to better align them with upcoming World Health Organization recommendations, Reuters reports.
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