A report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) said more than 520,400 premature deaths were caused by air pollution during 2014.
The agency said in its annual report published on Wednesday that this figure is slightly lower than the number of people who died in 2013 for reasons directly related to environmental pollution.
As to how to address them, EEA Executive Director, Hans Bruyninckx, told Le Croix, “We, as a society, have to pay the necessary cost to address pollution. This requires bold decisions, smart investments in transport and energy sources, and requires cleaner agriculture. This will only enable us to fight pollution and improve the quality of our lives.”
Microparticles account for more than three of four deaths associated with air pollution in 41 European countries surveyed, or 428,000 cases of mortality.
This microscopic dust in the air, classified by the World Health Organization as harmful, is mainly caused by the combustion of fossil fuels.
“The European Commission is committed to addressing this problem and helping Member States ensure the air quality of their citizens to the highest standards,” said European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella.