While the COP26 gave birth to a half-hearted pact on Saturday, poor air quality continues to wreak havoc in Europe.

Fine particle pollution caused 307,000 premature deaths in the European Union in 2019. Even though it has fallen by more than 10% in one year, this figure remains particularly alarming, according to a report by the European Agency for environment published on Monday.

According to the study, more than half of those lives could be saved if the 27 member countries met the new air quality targets recently set by the WHO.

In 2018, the number of deaths linked to fine particles PM 2.5 (particles suspended in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers) was estimated at 346,000.

Poland, the most affected country

The sharp drop in 2019 is partly explained by favorable weather conditions but above all by the continued gradual improvement in air quality in Europe.

In the early 1990s, fine particles, which penetrate deep into the lungs, caused nearly a million premature deaths in the 27 EU countries, according to these data.

A figure that had already fallen to around 450,000 in 2005.

Among the main EU countries, fine particle pollution was responsible in 2019 for 53,800 premature deaths in Germany, 49,900 in Italy, 29,800 in France and 23,300 in Spain, according to the EAA.

With 39,300 dead, Poland is the most affected country in relation to its population.

Dramatic consequences for children

Air pollution remains the most important environmental threat to the health of Europeans.

Heart disease and stroke are the most common causes of premature death from air pollution, followed by lung disease and lung cancer, recalls the EEA.

In children, air pollution could hinder lung development, cause respiratory infections and worsen asthma.

Even if the situation is gradually improving, the EEA warned in September that most European countries were still beyond the limits, whether it was European recommendations or those more ambitious from the WHO.

According to the latter, air pollution kills seven million premature deaths per year, a toll that places it at levels close to smoking or unhealthy diet.

The European Union has set itself the goal of reducing the number of premature deaths caused by fine particles by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. current, the agency estimates that this target would be reached by 2032.

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