COPENHAGEN — Air pollution levels across Europe have continued to decline significantly, according to new assessments released by European environmental agencies, although officials warned that millions of people remain exposed to pollution concentrations above the World Health Organization's recommended limits.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) said in its 2026 Air Quality Status report that air quality has improved steadily over the past two decades as European, national and local policies reduced emissions from transport, industry, power generation and other major sources. The agency said the trend reflects sustained implementation of air-quality legislation across the European Union and neighboring countries.
The report found that concentrations of several regulated pollutants have fallen substantially, with many monitoring stations now complying with existing EU standards. However, particulate matter (PM10), ground-level ozone and benzo(a)pyrene continue to exceed current legal limits at a notable share of monitoring stations, while more than 90% of Europe's urban population remains exposed to pollution levels above the stricter WHO air-quality guidelines.
The EEA said cleaner air has reduced health risks and associated economic costs, including healthcare spending and productivity losses linked to pollution-related illnesses. Nevertheless, it described air pollution as Europe's largest environmental health risk and said additional measures will be required to meet tougher air-quality standards that become applicable in 2030.
Separate findings published by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) also pointed to improving long-term air quality trends across Europe. CAMS said emissions of key pollutants have continued to decline in recent years, although seasonal pollution episodes still occur during winter temperature inversions and summer heatwaves. Wildfires during 2025 also contributed to temporary spikes in particulate matter across parts of southern Europe.
The EEA's latest assessment of national emission reduction commitments similarly found that most EU member states are on track to meet their legally binding targets for major air pollutants during the 2020-2029 period, though ammonia emissions remain a persistent challenge in several countries.
Scientists have cautioned that weather conditions can temporarily offset long-term improvements. Recent heatwaves across western Europe have contributed to elevated ground-level ozone concentrations in several regions, demonstrating that climate-related extremes can worsen air quality even as underlying emissions decline.
The EEA said member states will be required to assess their progress toward the revised 2030 air-quality standards between 2026 and 2029 and, where necessary, prepare roadmaps outlining additional measures to achieve compliance by the end of the decade.
