Euro area - Particle pollution

PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter)

The value for PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter) in Euro area was 12.53 as of 2017. As the graph below shows, over the past 27 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 16.78 in 1990 and a minimum value of 12.47 in 2016.

Definition: Population-weighted exposure to ambient PM2.5 pollution is defined as the average level of exposure of a nation's population to concentrations of suspended particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter, which are capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract and causing severe health damage. Exposure is calculated by weighting mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 by population in both urban and rural areas.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 16.78
1995 15.86
2000 15.34
2005 15.13
2010 15.19
2011 15.37
2012 14.16
2013 13.79
2014 13.22
2015 13.43
2016 12.47
2017 12.53

PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guideline value (% of total)

PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guideline value (% of total) in Euro area was 77.37 as of 2017. Its highest value over the past 27 years was 93.01 in 1990, while its lowest value was 77.26 in 2016.

Definition: Percent of population exposed to ambient concentrations of PM2.5 that exceed the WHO guideline value is defined as the portion of a country’s population living in places where mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 are greater than 10 micrograms per cubic meter, the guideline value recommended by the World Health Organization as the lower end of the range of concentrations over which adverse health effects due to PM2.5 exposure have been observed.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 93.01
1995 92.47
2000 92.04
2005 91.99
2010 91.43
2011 92.65
2012 89.29
2013 87.66
2014 82.77
2015 84.40
2016 77.26
2017 77.37

Classification

Topic: Environment Indicators

Sub-Topic: Emissions