400,000 Europeans Die Annually from Air Pollution

According to research by the European Environment Agency, hundreds of thousands of people die each year from the consequences of air pollution. The study also examined other environmental factors that threaten the health of citizens.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) released its annual report on environmental challenges facing EU member states in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.

According to the report, a summary of which was published on the morning of September 8 in some German-language media outlets, the consequences of air pollution are the leading factor in premature death of citizens in the European Union.

Research by the agency shows that more than 400,000 people die annually in the 27 EU member states due to the consequences of air pollution.

The report analyzed data relating to the impact of environmental factors on the health and well-being of European citizens.

Air Pollution Accounts for One-Eighth of Premature Deaths

According to the agency’s assessments, air pollution remains the leading cause of premature deaths in the European Union, accounting for approximately one-eighth of mortality cases resulting from its consequences.

However, over the past year, the number of victims from air pollution consequences has decreased by nearly 60 percent compared to 1990, when it reached one million people.

In the European Environment Agency’s report, the second leading cause of premature deaths is identified as disorders resulting from noise pollution, which over the past year led to the deaths of 12,000 people.

According to Katarina Guntsleben, an agency colleague, the consequences of climate change, such as extreme temperature increases and floods from heavy rainfall, also contribute to premature deaths of citizens. In this regard, residents of urban areas have been at greater risk.

The agency’s report states that water source pollution and excessive use of antibiotics, which cause disease-causing agents to become resistant, are also environmental disorders that play a role in premature deaths.

Eastern Europe at Greater Risk

A notable point in this report is the stark difference in the impact of environmental factors on premature deaths in Eastern and Western European countries. In most Eastern European countries, cases of premature deaths resulting from environmental problems are considerably higher than in Western countries.

Over the past year, the highest number of premature deaths due to environmental pollution was recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina, accounting for 27 percent of all deaths in the country. The lowest cases, at approximately 9 percent, were recorded in Iceland and Norway.

Hans Bruyninckx, executive director of the European Environment Agency, says that while Europe is experiencing environmental improvements, an examination of data from the past year shows that more measures need to be implemented to protect the most vulnerable members of society.

The latest agency report was prepared based on World Health Organization data from 2012. The organization has not yet released a new report in this area.

According to World Health Organization statistics, 13 percent of annual deaths in EU member states are in some way related to environmental problems. This means premature deaths of 630,000 people annually due to the consequences of environmental pollution.

Diseases such as cancer, heart failure, and respiratory diseases are more closely linked to environmental pollution. The agency emphasizes in its report that many premature deaths can be prevented by reducing environmental pollution.

Source: DW