Most EU Member States are on track to meet their 2020-2029 national emission reduction targets for key air pollutants, according to the latest European Environment Agency (EEA) monitoring check-up published today. Reducing ammonia emissions, however, remains a persistent challenge. The EEA has also updated its city air quality ranking, which focuses on long-term air quality exposure.
In 2024, 21 Member States met their reduction commitments for each of the five main air pollutants under the EU’s National Emission reduction Commitments Directive (NECD), according to the EEA assessment. The five key pollutants include ammonia (NH3), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOX), fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and sulphur dioxide (SO2). Six Member States failed to meet commitments for at least one of the pollutants.
Reducing ammonia emissions, predominantly from agriculture, remains the main challenge: four Member States need to cut their emissions further to reach their 2020-2029 reduction commitments.
The most significant progress has been made in reducing sulphur dioxide emissions, with 25 Member States having already achieved the more stringent 2030 reduction commitments.
Meeting the more stringent emission reduction commitments for 2030 and beyond will require considerable effort in most Member States, especially for ammonia, nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter.
Reporting under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution
The EEA also published the annual European Union emission inventory report 1990-2024, under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (UNECE Air Convention). The report focuses on the same five key air pollutants mentioned above but also others such as heavy metals, black carbon and persistent organic pollutants.
This year’s report reconfirmed a continued downward trend in EU emissions of the five main pollutants. Reported emissions of all pollutants were lower in 2024 than in 2005. Sulphur dioxide emissions have reduced the most followed by nitrogen oxides.
The inventory report accompanies the official EU air pollutant inventory submitted to the UNECE Air Convention. It provides detailed information on how the EU inventory is compiled and an assessment of the most important sectors and EU Member States affecting the EU emission. It also assesses progress towards achieving the emission reduction commitments under the Gothenburg Protocol to the UNECE Air Convention.
How clean is the air in your city?
Nordic cities rank among the cleanest European urban centres in terms of air quality in the updated EEA European city air quality viewer which is available now. Noticeably, a few cities in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Croatia also improved considerably, including Zaragoza (Spain), Cantanzaro (Italy), Valongo (Portugal), and Rijeka (Croatia), compared to the last update of the European city air quality ranking.
Cities are ranked according to the combined mortality risk associated with long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ground-level ozone (O3) over the past two calendar years.
The interactive tool is focused on long-term air quality, as long-term exposure to air pollution causes the most serious health effects. The viewer is updated once a year. Also new this year, you can check out longer-term trends of air quality per city or groups of cities monitored in the EU.
Background
Under the National Emission reduction Commitments (Directive (NECD), EU Member States are required to meet national commitments to reduce emissions for five main air pollutants to deliver clean air for human health and the environment.
The air pollutants have significant negative impacts on human health and the environment, which is why they were included within the scope of both the Gothenburg Protocol to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (UNECE Air Convention) and the NECD, the latter transposing the international requirements into EU law.
The EEA analysis is based on the latest air pollutant emission inventory data for 2024, as reported in 2026 by Member States both under the NECD and the UNECE Air Convention.
