EU Parliament adopts new rules to improve air quality by 2030
The Hindu
EU Parliament adopts stricter air pollution limits by 2030 to reduce 300,000 premature deaths annually in Europe.
The European Parliament adopted stricter legally-binding air pollution limits on Wednesday that must be complied with by 2030.
The World Health Organization (WHO) tightened its air quality guidelines last year, hoping to push countries toward clean energy and prevent deaths caused by dirty air.
Air pollution causes 300,000 premature deaths in Europe each year. EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius said the tougher EU rules could reduce that number by 70% over the next 10 years.
Europe's air quality has improved over the last decade, but the EU has still taken more than 10 countries to court for breaching its limits. The European Court of Justice has found countries including France, Poland, Italy and Romania guilty of illegal air pollution.
The deal between the EU governments and the Parliament sets stricter 2030 limits and target values for several of the pollutants with a severe impact on human health.
The new rules also make currently-fragmented air quality indices across the EU comparable, clear and publicly available.
If the new national rules are being violated, those affected by air pollution will be able to take legal action, and citizens may receive compensation if their health has been damaged.