These European cities are doing the most to fight air pollution

Copenhagen, Oslo, and Paris have been ranked the highest among 42 cities in Europe for their efforts in fighting air pollution, according to data from the Clean Cities Campaign. However, it's important to note that ranking high in these criteria does not necessarily mean these cities have the cleanest air overall. Barbara Stoll, the campaign's director, emphasized the importance of additional measures that cities can implement to clean up transportation, such as low emission zones, limited traffic areas, congestion charging, and parking policies. One effective strategy for improving air quality in cities is reducing or even banning the circulation of diesel and petrol cars, as demonstrated by London's expansion of its Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). While some may oppose such measures, Simon Birkett of the 'Clean Air in London' group asserts the significant health benefits of low emission zones, including reductions in hospital admissions, heart attacks, and strokes. Birkett advocates for the enforcement of similar initiatives throughout the EU to align with the latest air quality guidelines. Overall, the introduction of low-emission zones has shown positive results in reducing harmful gases like nitrogen dioxide and dangerous PM10 particles, emphasizing the potential of such measures to improve public health and air quality.