The poor are the first victims of smog. An EU study says so

Reducing air pollution and increasing green spaces in cities would immediately improve the health of the poorest people. This is what relationship of the European Environment Agency, which highlights that environmental factors inflict greater damage on the health of those living in poverty, who are faced with much more frequent diseases compared to those that affect wealthier citizens.

Poor people – reveals the agency – are more likely to live in areas with high air pollution, which causes 400,000 premature deaths in Europe every year. But noise pollution is also listed as a problem that contributes to 12,000 premature deaths a year and increases overall stress levels.

“Energetic action is needed to protect the most vulnerable in our society as poverty often goes hand in hand with living in poor environmental conditions that are detrimental to health,” he said. Hans bruyninckx, Executive Director of the Agency. The report also highlights measures that would not only reduce air pollution, but allow people greater access to parks and green areas. Measures that “are within the reach of governments.”

Addressing the problem of social injustice now aggravated by the environmental situation “must be part of an integrated approach towards a more sustainable and inclusive Europe,” continues the director. “Covid-19 was another alarm bell, he commented Stella kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health, who has made us deeply aware of the relationship between our ecosystems and our health ”.

The report also cites countries with lower social inequalities and cleaner environments that have shown an improvement in the health of citizens in recent years. Norway and Iceland, for example, showed the lowest level (9%) of deaths attributable to environmental factors. In countries with much lower wealth, such as Albania, this percentage rises to 20%, in Bosnia and Herzegovina to more than 25%.