Monday

5th Jun 2023

Opinion

After Covid-19, let's go back to clean air

  • In Paris, the air was cleaner than any time during the past 40 years (Photo: Peter Teffer)

In April this year, as countries went into lockdown, many got to see and experience a rare occurrence: clear blue skies.

In many European cities, the lockdown allowed city dwellers to see, smell and feel much cleaner air.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

In Paris, the air was cleaner than any time during the past 40 years, and the inhabitants of Milan reported being able to clearly see the nearby Alps.

Overall, official data and independent analyses showed that toxic air levels fell by up to two thirds in major European cities.

On Monday (7 September), as we celebrate the first-ever International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, we have the chance to make this anomaly of clean air a tangible reality of the 'new normal'.

A recent survey in 21 European cities showed that, 64 percent of respondents did not want to go back to pre-pandemic pollution levels. The survey also found that an overwhelming majority (74 percent) agreed that cities must take effective measures to protect citizens from air pollution, even if this requires reallocating public space.

Despite public sentiment in favour of cleaning up the air, pollution has already bounced back in many European cities during the summer.

Dirty skies return

According to a recent analysis, Paris, Brussels and Milan have all experienced significant rises in toxic air compared with their lows during the lockdown. In some cities like Budapest, pollution even exceeds the pre-pandemic levels, mostly due to a rise in congestion and traffic.

Clean air is a basic human right and yet air pollution is the single greatest environmental risk to human health, responsible for 7.6 percent of global deaths annually.

In fact, data shows that air pollution shortens lifespans, on average, by two years. Its social and economic costs are extremely high as air pollution causes costly chronic diseases which put considerable burden on our healthcare systems.

Air pollution from burning fossil fuels can make the Covid-19 pandemic even worse by overwhelming health care systems that are already under the strain of the coronavirus pandemic.

Health experts have also warned that those living in polluted cities are more at risk from Covid-19. And research tells us that epidemics like Covid-19 will occur with increasing frequency. So cleaning up the air is a wise investment for a healthier future.

This is what healthcare professionals recommend too.

Earlier this year, 40 million global health professionals launched a call to action asking world leaders to invest in public health as part of recovery plans.

The World Health Organisation launched a manifesto that included supporting clean air policies for a green recovery and medical professionals themselves are raising their voice to tackle transport pollution specifically.

Clear skies showed us a window to our future; the challenge now lies in finding a sustainable way to meet people's expectations and protect public health.

Putting the large sums of Covid-19 recovery funding into zero emission solutions is vital to put us on the right track.

Every euro spent - whether at EU or national level - shall accelerate the transition to mobility that protects the climate and our health, namely emission-free infrastructure and vehicles, that see their sales surge in Europe despite the pandemic.

And as the summer break ends and schools reopen, it is also crucial to maintain and expand new infrastructure for walking, cycling and micro-mobility, especially around schools.

Sustainable and active mobility initiatives have begun to change cities in Europe and around the world. Almost 1,100 km of new cycle lanes have already been set up across Europe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

These include 'pop-up bike lanes' in Berlin and new cycling infrastructure and wider bike lanes in Krakow. Brussels is transforming its city centre, expanding car-free zones to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists.

The lockdown period of this pandemic was an important reminder of the value of clean air and proof that it's still possible to achieve.

This International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies should be the kick-off of a clean air drive as set out in the EU's "zero pollution ambition" of the European Green Deal.

Let's not make this a day we need to observe for decades to come, but rather one we can happily abolish very soon, in the new normal.

Author bio

Barbara Stoll is campaign director of the Clean Cities Campaign at Transport & Environment, a clean transport NGO in Brussels. Zoltán Massay-Kosubek is policy manager for clean air and sustainable mobility at the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), an NGO alliance of public health organisations, including patient and population groups, health professionals and disease groups.

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author's, not those of EUobserver.

EU states agree on corona hygiene standards for aviation

German transport minister, Andreas Scheuer, announced that EU member states have agreed on common hygiene standards on planes and airports - as major airlines are calling for a joint coronavirus-testing programme in order to resume trans-Atlantic travel.

Women hit hardest by corona economic crisis

While women are in the frontline on fighting the pandemic, they are also exposed more to the economic crisis that will follow. The pay gap could also grow. More security for flexible jobs, and investment in care work, could help.

Infographic

Coronavirus: Will a second wave divide Europe again?

Experts are now warning of the "very serious" surge in Covid-19 cases in Europe - where new weekly cases exceede those reported in March. The worst-hit countries are Spain and France - while Italy is resisting the much-feared second wave.

The EU needs to foster tech — not just regulate it

The EU's ambition to be a digital superpower stands in stark contrast to the US — but the bigger problem is that it remains far better at regulation than innovation, despite decades of hand-wringing over Europe's technology gap.

Latest News

  1. Asylum and SLAPP positions in focus This WEEK
  2. Spanish PM to delay EU presidency speech due to snap election
  3. EU data protection chief launches Frontex investigation
  4. Madrid steps up bid to host EU anti-money laundering hub
  5. How EU leaders should deal with Chinese government repression
  6. MEPs pile on pressure for EU to delay Hungary's presidency
  7. IEA: World 'comfortably' on track for renewables target
  8. Europe's TV union wooing Lavrov for splashy interview

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  2. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us