Climate Change: Air pollution causes 430,000 premature deaths a year in Europe

Air pollution is the single largest environmental health risk in Europe and causes more than 430,000 premature deaths a year, according to a report by the EU’s environmental agency.

The European Environmental Agency’s (EEA) 2015 report on air quality found most city dwellers continue to be exposed to air pollutants at levels deemed unsafe by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Despite continuous improvements in recent decades, air pollution is still affecting the general health of Europeans, reducing their quality of life and life expectancy,” said EEA executive director Hans Bruyninckx.