The European Union has recently adopted a new Air Quality Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2881), aimed at improving ambient air quality and tackling environmental inequalities across Europe. The new directive directly cites research co-authored by Professor Jo Barnes, Professor of Clean Air and Dr Laura de Vito, Senior Research Fellow from 2018 in a report titled Unequal Exposure and Unequal Impacts: Social Vulnerability to Air Pollution, Noise and Extreme Temperatures in Europe.
The report explored how air pollution disproportionately affects people of lower socioeconomic status due to both their greater exposure and higher vulnerability.
What the Directive Says
In the new directive, the European Commission acknowledges these findings explicitly:
“According to the European Environment Agency Report No 22/2018 entitled ‘Unequal exposure and unequal impacts: social vulnerability to air pollution, noise and extreme temperatures in Europe’, the health of people of lower socioeconomic status tends to be more affected by air pollution than the health of the general population, as a result of their both greater exposure and higher vulnerability. This Directive takes into account the social aspects of air pollution and the socioeconomic impacts of measures taken.” (Directive, p. 4, Whereas (21))
This recognition marks an important shift. For years, the research highlighted that air quality policies often overlooked the social dimensions of pollution. In the 2018 report, they specifically noted a limitation in the previous air quality directive:
“However, socio-economic factors have not been included in the Directive as a topic for consideration when developing air quality plans.” (EEA Report, p. 57)
The fact that this new directive directly addresses the socioeconomic aspects of air pollution—a gap pointed out by Jo and Laura—is a significant step forward for both environmental policy and social equity.
Why This Matters
Air pollution is not just an environmental issue; it is a social justice issue. Communities with lower incomes often live in areas with higher pollution levels, while also being more vulnerable to its health impacts due to factors like limited access to healthcare or pre-existing conditions. Recognising and addressing these inequalities is essential to creating healthier, fairer societies across Europe.
The new directive signals progress in this direction, aligning air quality policy with the lived realities of people most affected by pollution. By embedding social considerations into air quality plans, the EU takes an important step toward ensuring environmental policies leave no one behind.
Professor Enda Hayes, Director of Research and Enterprise, School of Architecture and Environment commented:
“It is fantastic to see UWE Bristol research on environmental inequalities being used to influence such an important piece of legislation.
This new EU Directive will set the agenda over the coming decades on how air quality will be managed for 450 million EU inhabitants. While the immediate impact may be in shaping the Directive, the future impact on the environment, public health and society will be substantial”