Air

The European Commission launched on Wednesday a public consultation on a Zero Pollution Action Plan for air, water and soil, intended to deliver one of the key promises of the European Green Deal.

Italy has failed to tackle illegally high levels of air pollution, breaching its obligations under the Ambient Air Quality Directive, the EU Court of Justice has ruled.

While Europe’s spring lockdowns to fight the spread of Covid-19 led to a clear reduction of air pollution, their overall environmental impact remains mixed, according to the European Environment Agency.

The European Commission will file a case at the European Court of Justice against the French government over its “systematic failure to meet EU rules” on air pollution for more than decade.

Costs associated with air pollution cost the residents of Europe’s cities an average of €1,276 per year, according to a study by the European Public Health Alliance, with Italy dominating the list of the 10 cities where the impact of air pollution is highest.