PM2.5 air pollution — all countries

PM2.5 air pollution — Western Europe

PM2.5 air pollution in Western Europe in 2023 — 8.6 µg/m³. Since 1990, the indicator has fallen by 60.1%.

2023 8.6 µg/m³ −13.97% vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 21.6 µg/m³1990
Period minimum 8.6 µg/m³2023

Trend over time

1990–2023 · µg/m³

PM2.5 air pollution — Western Europe, 1990–20235101520251990199419982002200620102014201820221990: 21.6 µg/m³1991: 21.5 µg/m³1992: 21.2 µg/m³1993: 20.9 µg/m³1994: 20.6 µg/m³1995: 20.8 µg/m³1996: 20.1 µg/m³1997: 19.8 µg/m³1998: 19.5 µg/m³1999: 19.2 µg/m³2000: 18.7 µg/m³2001: 17.6 µg/m³2002: 17.8 µg/m³2003: 19.1 µg/m³2004: 16.8 µg/m³2005: 17.1 µg/m³2006: 15.5 µg/m³2007: 14.7 µg/m³2008: 14.8 µg/m³2009: 15.7 µg/m³2010: 15.9 µg/m³2011: 15.6 µg/m³2012: 13.5 µg/m³2013: 14 µg/m³2014: 12.6 µg/m³2015: 12.2 µg/m³2016: 11.6 µg/m³2017: 11.4 µg/m³2018: 11.7 µg/m³2019: 9.9 µg/m³2020: 9 µg/m³2021: 10 µg/m³2022: 10 µg/m³2023: 8.6 µg/m³
Change over the period: −13 (−60.14%) Average annual rate: -2.75 %

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Western Europe

Western Europe 8.6 µg/m³
World 32.9 µg/m³
PM2.5 air pollution — Western Europe, by year Western Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year µg/m³ Change Change, %
2023 8.6 −1.4 −13.97%
2022 10 +0 +0.03%
2021 10 +1 +10.87%
2020 9 −0.9 −8.63%
2019 9.9 −1.8 −15.35%
2018 11.7 +0.2 +2.13%
2017 11.4 −0.1 −1.21%
2016 11.6 −0.6 −5.08%
2015 12.2 −0.4 −3.13%
2014 12.6 −1.5 −10.36%
2013 14 +0.6 +4.1%
2012 13.5 −2.1 −13.76%
2011 15.6 −0.3 −2.06%
2010 15.9 +0.3 +1.75%
2009 15.7 +0.9 +5.79%
2008 14.8 +0.1 +0.7%
2007 14.7 −0.8 −4.91%
2006 15.5 −1.6 −9.54%
2005 17.1 +0.3 +1.78%
2004 16.8 −2.3 −12.18%
2003 19.1 +1.3 +7.23%
2002 17.8 +0.2 +1.24%
2001 17.6 −1.1 −5.71%
2000 18.7 −0.5 −2.68%
1999 19.2 −0.3 −1.49%
1998 19.5 −0.3 −1.47%
1997 19.8 −0.3 −1.45%
1996 20.1 −0.7 −3.55%
1995 20.8 +0.2 +0.77%
1994 20.6 −0.3 −1.38%
1993 20.9 −0.3 −1.36%
1992 21.2 −0.3 −1.34%
1991 21.5 −0.1 −0.29%
1990 21.6

About the indicator

The mean annual concentration of suspended particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers, weighted by population — that is, the concentration residents are actually exposed to rather than the average across the territory. The WHO guideline of 2021 is no more than 5 µg/m³; in the most polluted countries values exceed it more than tenfold.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.