Share of population facing air pollution above WHO limits in Europe 2022, by country
Nearly everyone in Europe was exposed to air pollution above the recommended World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines in 2022. Italy was particularly affected by poor air quality that year, with approximately 18 percent of the country's population exposed to PM2.5 levels more than four times higher than the current WHO PM2.5 recommended limits. Exposure to high PM2.5 levels can lead to an increased risk of respiratory and heart disease, and can also result in premature death.