Nearly two-thirds of Catalans exposed to air pollution above 2030 EU limits

In 2024, nearly two-thirds of Catalonia's population was exposed to pollution levels that exceeded the new legal limits set by the European Union for 2030.

This is the primary finding of a report released this week by Ecologists in Action, which is based on data from 110 monitoring stations throughout the region.

The report notes that air quality improved in 2024 compared to 2023. However, pollution levels remain above the targets that must be reached by the end of the decade.

According to the organization, there has been a "significant reduction" in the presence of suspended particles, nitrogen dioxide, and tropospheric ozone compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Under the current legal air quality thresholds, only about 185,000 people, primarily in Vic and the Pre-Pyrenees, were exposed to air that exceeded the limits.

However, according to the stricter guidelines set by the World Health Organization and the EU’s future targets, the entire Catalonian population and territory were affected by harmful air pollution.

Ecologists in Action attribute the overall drop in atmospheric pollution to changes in the energy system. These changes include a decline in gas consumption and an increase in renewable energy, which covered 57% of demand in 2024.

Despite this progress, the report notes that pollutants such as PM10, PM2.5, and nitrogen dioxide still affect the entire population. The areas most impacted are the Barcelona metropolitan region, Camp de Tarragona, and the Plana de Vic.

The report concludes that 2024 was the third hottest year since 1961 and notes that climate change is a "key factor in the worsening episodes of poor air quality."