The World Health Organization (WHO) tightened its air quality guidelines last year, hoping to push countries toward clean energy and prevent deaths caused by dirty air.
The new rules make currently fragmented air quality indices across the EU comparable, clear, and publicly available.
If the new national rules are being violated, those affected by air pollution will be able to take legal action, and citizens may receive compensation if their health is damaged.
Air pollution causes 300,000 premature deaths in Europe each year. EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius said the tougher EU rules could reduce that number by 70% over the next 10 years.
Europe’s air quality has improved over the last decade, but the EU has still taken more than 10 countries to court for breaching its limits. The European Court of Justice has found countries including France, Poland, Italy, and Romania guilty of illegal air pollution.
“This is a law which will protect public health and the health of our citizens, because we know that clean air is not a luxury at all. It's a right that we should be guaranteeing,” Javi López, a Spanish Member of the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the Parliament, said.
The EU Parliament approved the law with a majority of 381 votes in favor, 225 against, and 17 abstentions.
It still needs approval from EU countries to enter into force, usually a formality that approves laws with no changes.
Smog in Poland
Smog is the fourth cause of death in Poland. According to WHO data, there are 50,000 premature deaths in Poland due to air pollution every year.
The Polish Smog Alarm, which has been monitoring air quality since 2015, noted last year that the air in Poland started to improve, albeit on a relatively small scale.
In 2015, there were about 4 million coal-burning furnaces in Poland, but data from 2023 revealed that this had been reduced to 3 million.
Warsaw, Krakow, and 20 other cities have also introduced a ban on burning coal, which will come into force in 2030.
