Renew Europe fights for clean air for all European citizens

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament welcomes today’s adoption in plenary of the revised EU air quality law. By setting updated and stricter limit values for exposure of citizens and nature to air pollutants, Renew Europe ensures that citizens in Europe will breathe clean air and natural ecosystems will recover. Stricter air quality standards combined with a better and more harmonised monitoring of the actual exposure to air pollutants will benefit peoples’ health and nature.

By adopting stricter EU air quality standards by 2030, and aligning these standards to WHO guidelines by 2035, Renew Europe delivers on citizens' expectations for a toxic-free environment with clean air. Today's outcome in plenary is the result of Renew Europe's tireless efforts and bridge-building proposals to clean air for current and future generations.

Karin Karlsbro (Liberalerna, Sweden) Renew shadow rapporteur on the revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directives comments:

“I am happy we have adopted new air quality standards to make the air we breathe considerably cleaner. Too many lives are being lost or negatively impacted by avoidable air pollution. Renew Europe is committed to meet citizens’ expectations to breathe healthy air free of pollutants.”

Air pollution is the number one environmental cause of early deaths in the EU. About 300,000 premature deaths per year and a significant number of diseases are still attributed to air pollution. It shows that air pollution is a real public health problem. Urgent investments in better air quality for all our citizens are the only way to reverse the mortality rate due to air pollution.