Air pollution stands as the most significant environmental risk that Europeans face, causing hundreds of thousands of premature deaths annually in the EU (EEA, 2024b). Air pollution, as an invisible killer and an involuntary risk, impacts all individuals, but disproportionately harms the most vulnerable and marginalised, including people with co-morbidities, children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with a lower socioeconomic status.
Motorised road transport is a very large contributor to air pollution in Europe and a key source of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 77% of transport-related emissions in 2020 (EEA, 2023b). Strong European Union and national policy and implementation can curb this and significantly lower the health burden from respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, heart disease, strokes, cancer, as well as infectious respiratory diseases.
The European Public Health Alliance is advocating for a timely, stringent, health and equity-focused implementation of the Euro 7 regulation combined with accessible and affordable clean transport solutions.
