The 2017 air quality report from the EEA is released and first Clean Air Forum to take place in Paris

During the Regions and Cities European Week in Brussels on the 11 of October, the ENVE Commission of the Committee of the Regions together with DG Environment & European Environment Agency (EEA) held a session on improving urban air quality and launched the new EEA’s report on Air Quality in Europe for the 2017.

The Air quality in Europe report series from the EEA presents regular assessments of Europe's air pollutant emissions, concentrations and their associated impacts on health and the environment.

The report outlined that in more than 130 European cities air pollution is above the standards set in the European Union air quality legislation, and in more still the guidelines provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) are being exceeded. This means that across the continent around 90% of citizens in urban areas are exposed to levels of air pollution considered harmful by the WHO.

The EU Urban Agenda’s Air Quality Partnership was also present at the session, represented by the Greater London Authority who put forward some of the practices that London is using to reduce air pollution in the cities. The partnership’s main findings have been published together with a draft action plan open for public feedback through a survey at this link.

Finally, a new annual Forum is being organised by the European Commission. On the 16 and 17 of November the first European Clean Air Forum will take place in Paris. Among the confirmed speakers and Polis members are, Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, Pex J. Langenberg, Vice Mayor for the City of Rotterdam, and Polis President, as well as Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, London City Hall.