Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union

E2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development

ESTAT-SDG-MONITORING@ec.europa.eu

The indicator is part of the EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 11 on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and SDG 3 on good health and well-being which is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under the 'European Green Deal'.

SDG 11 aims to renew and plan cities and other human settlements so that they offer opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation, green public spaces and others, while improving resource use and reducing environmental impacts. SDG 3 aims to ensure health and well-being for all at all ages by improving reproductive, maternal and child health; ending the epidemics of major communicable diseases; reducing non-communicable and mental diseases. It also calls for reducing behavioural and environmental health-risk factors.

The EU addresses the problem of air pollution through its specific air quality and industrial emissions legislation such as the Clean Air Package and the directives adopted by the Council and the European Parliament in relation to ambient air quality, as well as through co-benefits resulting from implementation of certain climate policies.

The Action Plan Towards a Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil’ includes the target of reducing the health impacts due to air pollution by 55 % by 2030, compared with 2005.

The monitoring framework for the 8th Environment Action Programme uses number of premature deaths as a headline indicator with the target to reduce the number of permature deaths due to PM2.5 by 55 % by 2030, compared with 2005.

This indicator estimates the number of premature deaths attributable to long-term exposure to PM2.5. PM2.5 are particulates whose diameter is less than 2.5 micrometres and which can be carried deep into the lungs where they can cause inflammation and exacerbate the condition of people suffering heart and lung diseases. 

i. total number of premature deaths 
ii. number of premature deaths, per 100 000 people

Calendar year

The number of premature deaths have been calculated according to methodology described in the WHO global air quality guidelines (2021) and in the 2022 EEA briefing on Health impacts on air pollution. 

EEA/European Topic Centre on Air pollution, transport, noise and industrial pollution

Data provider: European Environment Agency (EEA)

Every year

The indicator is updated annually.

T+2 years

New data points are disseminated within two years after the reference year.

All EU MS

Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

All EU MS

Data are comparable between EU Member States and the other presented countries.

> 10 years

Presented time series (including EU aggregates) starts in 2005.

> 4 data points

Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points.

Analysis of indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards SDGs in the EU context).

see table sdg_11_52

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