An alert has been issued today by the AEA, calling for better monitoring of air pollution in and around ports and airports.
Maritime transport is anticipated to become the primary source of transport-related air pollution in coastal cities by 2030, according to the AEA’s study, titled “Air Quality Around Ports and Airports.”
The study supports the revised European Union (EU) directive on ambient air quality, which identifies ports and airports as potential hotspots for air quality issues.
Air quality monitoring networks and levels in major ports and airports across 18 European countries are evaluated, with a particular focus on pollutants such as fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
While the study does not include any Portuguese ports, it does feature Lisbon airport, noting it as the second most polluted in terms of NO2 out of the 23 analyzed, surpassed only by Milan. Pollution levels in surrounding areas are below the European average.
The authors report that NO2 and fine particle emissions are increasing in maritime transport, and emissions from aviation have also risen in recent decades for these pollutants.
The EU directive introduces updated standards and new targets to be reached by 2030, aligning more closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations to mitigate health and environmental impacts.
AEA emphasizes that air pollution is the greatest environmental health risk in Europe, with significant impacts on human health. Fine particles and nitrogen dioxide are two of the main atmospheric pollutants.
