Tighter pollution limits in European industry and energy would prevent some 37,000 deaths and save taxpayers 103 billion euros a year, according to a study published on Wednesday.
The analysis, called “Upgrading Europe’s Air”, is the responsibility of the “Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air” (CREA, an independent organization registered in Finland) and was disseminated by the European Environment Office (EEB, in its original version). ). acronym), a network of more than 180 organizations linked to the environment.
In the new study, those responsible now ensure that with stricter pollutant emission limits in the energy and industrial sectors, 120,000 hospitalizations due to cardiac complications, more than seven million lost work days and more than ten thousand deaths were avoided, in comparison with previous analyses. on the same topic.
In addition to saving millions of euros each year, the application of restrictive measures in relation to intensive farming (methane emissions, for example) would prevent thousands of deaths each year, indicates the study, which analyzes the impact of reducing the limits of emissions in the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Bringing the emissions generated in Germany to the lowest possible level has the potential to save around 12,500 Europeans and prevent public spending of up to €34 billion. France and Poland can each avoid 4,000 human victims and save taxpayers 11,000 million euros. Given the borderless nature of air pollution, the benefits affect the entire continent, the authors note.
The EEB recalls in a statement that the directive on industrial emissions is being reviewed, so that European policy makers “have a unique opportunity” to improve it, since the law has been “eroded by weak standards and gaps”, which have led to lower emission reductions.
The Industrial Emissions Directive is the main European legislation to prevent and reduce pollution from large industrial facilities, including livestock farms. In April last year, the Commission presented proposals to update the law, in light of the European Green Deal. In March, the countries reached an agreement at European Council level on a “general approach”.
In the statement, the EEB points out that it is possible to set stricter emission limits for European industry with currently available techniques, so there is no reason to delay their implementation. He also adds that after the “disappointing position of the European Council”, the European Parliament should take a position on May 25, in the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
The environmental organization warns that if industry does not adjust to lower pollution limits, the European Union’s zero pollution ambition will be set back decades into the future, “while sacrificing the environment, people’s health and public money is saved.
Christian Schaible, head of Zero Pollution in Industry at EEB, said, quoted in the statement, that “it is imperative to change the culture that rewards polluters.”
“The arguments for the huge public benefits of avoided air pollution thanks to strict limits are absolutely clear, we cannot afford to waste more time on polluters shirk their responsibilities,” he said.
Source: TSF
