While high in the public and political discourse, as well as in public health, other environmental stressors, such as noise pollution, are much less researched, talked about and visible. However, the impact of noise pollution on public health is significant, across Europe, and globally. The interplay between climate change mitigation and noise pollution reduction reveals a cascade of public health benefits, particularly for marginalised populations who often bear a disproportionate environmental burden.
Noise related to transport is the most significant source of noise pollution in Western Europe (European Environmental Bureau, n.d.). This level of noise has a significant health impact, with 70 million people in selected European countries being exposed to a level of road traffic-related noise pollution in urban areas that is deemed harmful to health (European Environmental Agency (EEA), 2021).
Addressing climate change offers a myriad of interconnected public health benefits, particularly through the reduction of noise pollution-related harm.
