Pollution and other environmental hazards pose health risks to everyone, but have greater impacts on some people due to their age or state of health. Individuals’ ability to avoid, or cope with these hazards is also influenced by their income, employment status or level of education. A European Environment Agency (EEA) report Unequal exposure and unequal impacts: social vulnerability to air pollution, noise and extreme temperatures in Europe report assesses the links between social and demographic inequalities and exposure to air pollution, noise and extreme temperatures at various scales in Europe.
Targeted action is needed to better protect the poor, the elderly and children from environmental hazards like air and noise pollution and extreme temperatures, especially in Europe’s eastern and southern regions. The (EEA) report Unequal exposure and unequal impacts: social vulnerability to air pollution, noise and extreme temperatures in Europe’ warns that the health of Europe’s most vulnerable citizens remains disproportionately affected by these hazards, despite overall improvements in Europe’s environmental quality. The report draws attention to the close links between social and environmental problems across Europe. The distribution of these environmental threats and the impacts they have on human health closely mirror differences in income, unemployment and education levels across Europe.
While EU policy and legislation over past decades have led to significant improvements in living conditions, both economically and in terms of environmental quality, regional inequalities persist. The report stresses that better alignment of social and environment policies and improved local action are needed to successfully tackle environmental justice issues.
‘The European Commission has consistently emphasised that, on environmental issues, we are a Europe that protects. That principle is best tested by examining how we protect the vulnerable, the weak and the defenceless. The European Environment Agency is to be commended for this report that examines how the poor, the old and the very young are those most at risk from poor air quality, excessive noise and extremes of temperatures. It informs our efforts to make sure that we are a Europe that protects all’, said Karmenu Vella, EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
‘Despite the very significant success of European policies over the years to improve our quality of life and protect the environment, we know more can be done across the EU to make sure all Europeans, no matter their age, income or education, are well protected from the environmental hazards we face,’ said Hans Bruyninckx, EEA Executive Director.
Key findings
Air and noise pollution
- Eastern European regions (including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria) and regions in southern Europe (including Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece), where incomes and education are lower and unemployment rates higher than European averages, were more exposed to air pollutants including particulate matter (PM) and ground level ozone (O3).
- Wealthier regions, including large cities, tend to have on average higher levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), mostly because of the high concentration of road traffic and economic activities. However, within these regions themselves, it is still the poorer communities that tend to be exposed to higher local levels of NO2.
- Exposure to noise is much more localised than exposure to air pollution and ambient levels vary considerably across short distances. The analysis did find a tentative link between noise levels in cities and lower household incomes, suggesting that cities with poorer populations have higher noise levels.
Source – European Environment Agency
Verde Environmental Consultants provides a wide range of environmental air quality monitoring and management services, including:
- Licence compliance monitoring.
- Commissioning of a new plant or processes.
- Contaminated site investigation or remediation monitoring.
- Baseline monitoring for environmental impact assessments.
- Industrial and community complaint or nuisance assessment.
- Occupational exposure monitoring for vapours, dusts and aerosols.
- Environmental and occupational management of construction projects.
Capability Document
Environmental Air and Noise Monitoring
