Air Pollution Threatens Europeans' Health

Current levels of air pollution in parts of Europe might reduce average life expectancies by almost a year and threaten healthy development in children, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA).

The report, "Europe's Environment: The Fourth Assessment," was presented this week during a conference on "Environment for Europe" held in Belgrade, Serbia. The report examines environmental progress in a total of 53 countries -- from Albania to Uzbekistan -- ranging from Western Europe to Central Asia, a region with population of more than 870 million people.

Among the report's key recommendations were to set clear and realistic environmental targets, improve enforcement of existing environmental policies and create a system to better share environmental information across the region. Currently, the report said, the pan-European region lacks access to a reliable and comparable environmental information system.

"Our report shows that there has been progress," said Jacqueline McGlade, executive director of the EEA. "We have reduced some air pollution and have improved wastewater treatment. However, in an era of change, major concerns remain, such as climate, biodiversity and environment-related health threats. To respond to these complex environmental issues, we need continued cooperation across the pan-European region as well as targeted financial and technical support."

Across the pan-European region, air, water and soil quality varies greatly. For example, in parts of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Southeast Europe, both water quality and sanitation have deteriorated over the past 15 years. The EEA estimates that more than 100 million people in such areas lack access to safe drinking water or proper sanitation, with rural communities suffering the most because of such problems.

Meanwhile, in Western and Central Europe, air pollution -- mostly from nitrogen oxide, ground-level ozone and fine-particle pollution -- might be reducing life expectancies and hurting child development, the EEA report stated. In Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, air pollution has increased by 10 percent since 2000 -- partly because of economic recovery and increased travel, partly because existing pollution policies in those areas remain ineffective, the report said.

The health of Europe's ocean waters is also an ongoing concern, the report said. While the number of major oil spills has decreased, oil from a variety of activities still enters European waters, which are also feeling stress from overfishing and declining oxygen levels.

Climate change and biodiversity loss are also making their impacts felt on Europe, according to the report. The region needs to move quickly to adapt to the potential risks of future global warming and to move faster to stop ongoing threats to iconic species like the snow leopard and the Iberian lynx, it said.

"We need to further strengthen the will to act on environmental issues across the pan-European region," McGlade said. "This requires a better understanding of the problems we face, their nature and distribution across societies and generations. Analysis, assessment, communication and education will help overcome this 'information gap; and will better equip those who need to act."

European Environment Agency, "Ministers Must Join Forces to Achieve a Healthy Environment for the Pan-European Region." URL: (http://www.eea.europa.eu/pan-european/news-and-press-releases/ministers-must-join-forces-to-achieve-a-healthy-environment-for-the-pan-european-region)