Most EU member states are reducing air pollutant emissions

TALLINN - According to the latest monitoring report from the European Environment Agency (EEA), most European Union (EU) member states are on track to meet their national targets for reducing key air pollutant emissions for the 2020-2029 period.

However, reducing ammonia emissions continues to be a challenging task. The EEA has also updated its city air quality ranking, which focuses on long-term exposure to air pollution.

The EEA estimates that in 2024, 21 member states met their reduction commitments under the EU's National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive for all five main air pollutants: ammonia (NH3), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and sulphur dioxide (SO2). Six member states failed to meet their commitments for at least one of these pollutants.

The greatest challenge remains the reduction of ammonia emissions, which primarily originate from agriculture. Four member states still need to make further cuts to their emissions to meet their reduction commitments.

The most significant progress has been made in reducing sulphur dioxide emissions, with 25 member states having already met the more stringent reduction targets set for 2030. However, most member states will need to make substantial further efforts to meet the stricter reduction commitments that will apply from 2030, particularly for ammonia, nitrogen oxides, and fine particulate matter.

REPORTING UNDER THE GENEVA CONVENTION ON LONG-RANGE TRANSBOUNDARY AIR POLLUTION (CLRTAP)

The EEA also released its annual EU emission inventory report for the period 1990-2024, compiled under the Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). In addition to the five main pollutants mentioned earlier, the report addresses heavy metals, black carbon (BC), and persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

This year's report confirmed a continuing downward trend for emissions of the EU's five main pollutants. The reported emissions for all pollutants in 2024 were lower than in 2005, with the most significant decreases seen in sulphur dioxide, followed by nitrogen oxides.

The inventory report is submitted alongside the EU's official air pollutant inventory under the CLRTAP. It provides detailed information on how the EU inventory is compiled and assesses the key sectors and member states that influence EU emissions. It also evaluates progress towards meeting the emission reduction commitments under the CLRTAP's Gothenburg Protocol.

According to the EEA's updated European city air quality viewer, Nordic cities rank among the cleanest urban centres in Europe. Compared to the previous update, air quality has also seen significant improvements in several cities in Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Croatia, including Zaragoza, Catanzaro, Valongo, and Rijeka.

Estonia is performing very well in comparison to other EU countries in implementing the NEC Directive. Based on 2024 data, Estonia met its 2020-2029 emission reduction commitments for all five main air pollutants. Estonia is also one of six member states-along with Belgium, Finland, Greece, the Netherlands, and Slovakia-that, as of 2024, had already met all the more stringent reduction targets set for 2030 and beyond. However, the EEA notes that these countries may still need to continue their efforts to prevent emission increases and maintain their progress.

The results from the updated European city air quality viewer show that Estonian cities are among those with the cleanest air in Europe. In a comparison of 761 European cities, Estonian cities achieved impressive results: Narva ranks 21st, Tallinn 22nd, and Tartu 25th. These rankings confirm that Estonia's urban centres, alongside other Nordic cities, are among the cleanest in Europe.

The cities are ranked based on the combined mortality risk associated with long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ground-level ozone (O3) over the past two calendar years.

This interactive tool focuses on long-term air quality, as prolonged exposure to air pollution causes the most severe health impacts. The viewer is updated annually. Starting this year, users can also view long-term air quality trends for specific cities or selected groups of cities.

Under the National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive, EU member states are required to meet national reduction commitments for five key air pollutants to ensure clean air and protect human health and the environment.

These air pollutants have a significant negative impact on human health and the environment, which is why they are covered by both the Gothenburg Protocol under the CLRTAP and the NEC Directive, the latter of which transposes international requirements into EU law. The EEA's analysis is based on the 2024 air pollutant emission inventory data submitted by member states in 2026 under both the NEC Directive and the CLRTAP.

In Estonia, the contact authority for the EEA is the Estonian Environment Agency.