If you compare it with the other countries in the Nordics, Denmark is doing the worst with particle pollution. But Sweden does second best.
Denmark is the Nordic country that performs worst when it comes to particle pollution. According to new figures from the European Environment Agency (EEA), toxic particles cause almost 240,000 deaths annually in the EU.
This type of pollution, especially from the so-called PM2.5 particles, continues to pose a serious health risk despite progress in the fight against air pollution.
Transport, including emissions from cars, is a major source of particle pollution. But there is also reason to note that the situation throughout the EU has improved significantly in recent decades.
Between 2005 and 2022, the number of deaths related to PM2.5 particles fell by 45 percent. According to Leena Ylä-Mononen, head of the EEA, it is a consequence of stricter rules and greater requirements for less pollution in the EU.
– It is good news for all citizens that we have stricter rules within the EU, but far too many people around Europe are still affected by poor air quality, she says.
The published data from 2022 show large differences across EU countries, both in relation to the extent of pollution and its consequences.
In the Nordic region, Denmark ranks worse than Sweden and Finland when it comes to deaths per 100,000 inhabitants caused by PM2.5 particles and nitrogen.
Finland has the lowest figures in all of Europe, followed by Sweden. While Norway fares a little worse. However, Denmark has the highest number of related deaths in the Nordic region.
However, Eastern Europe is the hardest hit. Here, air pollution often exceeds the World Health Organization's recommendations. And North Macedonia has the highest number of deaths that can be related to particle pollution in the entire EU.
Overall, the differences in air quality are significant across Europe, which underlines the need for further efforts against particle pollution, the environmental agency believes.
