Improving air quality has been a priority for the European Union for many years and, fortunately, it has been one of the success stories of environmental policy. However, although our air is cleaner than it used to be, there are still three big problems to tackle. First, the poor air quality in cities and towns damages our health and makes life unpleasant. The other major issues are ozone depletion and climate change. All these problems occur because people and their activities release harmful substances into the air, but the sources of pollution are different in each case - as are the solutions. We can do something to improve things.
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| Find out more about the properties of air together with your friends or classmates. |
The greenhouse effect is contributing to climate change, bringing global warming, rising sea levels and more natural disasters. What is the greenhouse effect? Why can it be a problem? What are its effects? How can it be reduced?
Every day, tiny particles and chemicals get into the air, mainly from factories, farming activities and transport. Which pollutants come from each activity? What are their effects on the environment and our health? What can be done to improve air quality in our cities?
The high-level ozone layer that surrounds the Earth's atmosphere is vital to our survival. In contrast, ground-level ozone in the air we breathe is dangerous for our health. Why is the ozone layer getting thinner? What are the effects of less high-level ozone and more ground-level ozone? What can be done to improve the situation?
