Europe's Air Pollution Causes Thousands of Premature Deaths, Italy Leads in PM2.5 Fatalities

In 2023 Italy recorded 73 premature deaths per 100,000 people attributed to long‑term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), far above the European Union average of 41 and well above Germany (26), France (22) and Spain (28). The figure marks a modest improvement from 86 in 2022 but still places Italy among the EU’s worst‑affected large economies.

The European Environment Agency’s 2026 air‑quality report shows most monitoring stations in the EU meet current standards for PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide, yet about 20 % exceed limits for PM10, ground‑level ozone and benzo(a)pyrene. Tropospheric ozone remains a particular concern: levels have not fallen significantly despite reduced precursor emissions, and climate change is expected to worsen ozone formation. The agency estimates ozone is responsible for around 63,000 premature deaths in the EU and causes billions of euros in damage, while also acting as a greenhouse gas. The report calls for additional actions by member states to address these pollutants.