The new analysis found only 2% of the population of Europe live in areas within this limit. Experts say more than 200,000 of these could be saved if the air in Europe met World Health Organization guidelines. One recent study found air pollution was responsible for 1 million stillbirths a year, another that young people living in cities already have billions of toxic air pollution particles in their hearts. Barbara Hoffmann, professor of environmental epidemiology at the University of Düsseldorf, said air pollution was an issue of “environmental injustice”. The overall result is one of the most accurate and comprehensive pictures of air pollution across the continent to date.

Source: The Guardian September 20, 2023 22:35 UTC