PUREPOLIS Initiative Launched to Tackle Europe's Pollution‑Related Deaths

A new Horizon Europe project called PUREPOLIS will begin in January 2026 with a €4.9 million budget and a consortium of 19 partners from across the EU. The programme aims to give city administrations data‑driven tools to manage air, water, soil and noise pollution, focusing on vulnerable groups and nature‑based solutions. Core cities include Nantes (France) and Valencia (Spain), with follower cities such as Berlin, Rybnik and Augsburg evaluating the transferability of results.

At the same time, a European-wide health study published in *Nature Health* estimated that short‑term exposure to air pollutants causes about 146,500 premature deaths each year across 31 European countries. Fine particles (PM₂.₅) account for roughly 79,000 deaths, followed by nitrogen dioxide (69,000), ozone (31,000) and coarse particles (29,000). The research highlights heightened risks for young men, elderly women and people with pre‑existing conditions, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated pollution management strategies such as those the PUREPOLIS project will develop.