Air pollution levels too high worldwide

We remember: many driving bans have just been lifted or not introduced in German cities because the nitrogen dioxide levels were below the EU limits (until the end of September also below the WHO limits). This was the case, for example, in the cities of Limburg and Frankfurt/Main. Often, however, the measured values were only extremely slightly below the limit value. The EU had adopted the limit values from the WHO, but now cannot keep up, because lowering the limit values would lead to very sudden driving bans in many environmental zones.

In detail: The limit values of nitrogen dioxide were lowered by the WHO 40 to 10 micrograms per cubic metre of air. In the EU, the limit value of 40 micrograms continues to apply. The recommendation for fine dust PM2.5 was lowered by the WHO from 10 to 5 micrograms (EU 25 micrograms), for fine dust PM10 from 20 to 15 micrograms (EU 40 micrograms).

What is explosive is a decision by the European Parliament that stipulates that new WHO guidelines must be adopted by European countries. An adjustment to the new WHO values is planned for autumn 2022. 

According to the WHO, there was not a single country that complied with the new limit values valid since September 2021 in the entire year 2021. Just 3.4 per cent of all cities surveyed complied with the new limits for particulate matter PM2.5. The dirtiest capital city is still New Delhi. The most polluted country is Bangladesh. An improvement in air quality in the particularly affected areas outside Europe can only be seen in China.

If the WHO values are actually also adopted by the EU in autumn, this would result in massive driving restrictions: In France, more and more cars would be excluded from traffic in the environmental zones, and in Germany there would again be a heated discussion about the introduction of driving bans: The fact is that not a single affected city in Germany would fall below the new WHO values when measuring pollutants. So things could get exciting in autumn.