According to a study, air pollution leads to the premature death of 1,200 children and young people in Europe every year. As the European Environment Agency (EEA) report said on Monday, air pollutants pose the greatest environmental risk not only to the health of adults but also to children, drastically reducing their life expectancy. For its report, the EEA evaluated data from the 27 EU member states and three other European countries.
Poor air quality leads to the premature death of more than 1,200 children under the age of 18 each year and “significantly increases the risk of disease later in life,” writes the EEA in its report.
“Despite the progress made in recent years, the level of many pollutants in the air is above the recommendations of the World Health Organization, especially in Central and Eastern Europe and in Italy,” emphasizes the EU authority.
Several countries, including the UK and Ukraine, did not participate in the EEA study. The Europe-wide balance could therefore be even worse.
The EEA study focuses for the first time on the examination of minors. A report published in November already showed that at least 238,000 people of all ages died prematurely in 2020 in the Environment Agency’s countries, including the 27 EU countries, Turkey, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
The proportion of children and young people who are affected by poor air quality is “relatively small” compared to the total population, the EEA explained. However, an early death means “the loss of a possible future”, and chronic illnesses in childhood and later in life are “an enormous burden”.
The Environment Agency recommends focusing on improving air quality around schools and kindergartens, sports facilities and public transport.
She also points out that air pollution has an impact on unborn children and can lead to premature birth or low birth weight. After birth, bad air increases the risk of various health problems, including asthma and other respiratory diseases, according to the EEA. (AFP)
