More than 110 million people across Europe — or more than 20% of the population — are exposed to dangerous levels of transport noise that threaten human health, the environment, and economic stability, according to a new European Environment Agency (EEA) report released today (24 June).
The EEA's Environmental Noise in Europe 2025 report reveals that progress in reducing exposure to harmful noise has been slow and warns that the European Union’s zero-pollution goal of cutting noise-related disturbance by 30% by 2030 is unlikely to be achieved without stronger national and EU-level action.
Road traffic is the most widespread source of noise pollution, affecting around 92 million people with day-evening-night sound levels above 55 decibels — the EU’s health protection threshold. Railway and aircraft noise also impact millions, particularly in urban areas and near transport hubs.
Using World Health Organization guidelines, the EEA estimates that more than 150 million people — more than 30% of Europeans — are exposed to long-term transport noise levels considered unhealthy. Prolonged exposure is linked to severe health consequences, including cardiovascular diseases, mental health issues, type 2 diabetes, and even premature death.
The report estimates that transport noise leads to 66,000 premature deaths, 50,000 new cardiovascular disease cases, and 22,000 new type 2 diabetes cases each year. Children are particularly at risk, with more than 560,000 affected by impaired reading comprehension and nearly 272,000 cases of childhood obesity linked to noise exposure.
Economically, the burden is also severe: environmental noise is responsible for at least €95.6 billion ($110 billion) in annual losses, or 0.6% of Europe’s GDP.
Meanwhile, nearly 30% of Natura 2000 protected areas face noise levels that threaten wildlife behaviour and biodiversity.
The EEA calls for urgent measures to reduce transport noise, including stronger regulation, investment in quieter infrastructure, and urban planning that prioritises health and environmental wellbeing.
As the strikes on Tehran began on Saturday (28 February), Touraj Shiralilou sent us this report from the Iranian capital....
The United States has begun "major combat operations" in Iran, President Donald Trump has confirmed, as Israel said it had launched a "pre-emptive" mi...
Cuba has released extensive details of a deadly midweek shootout at sea, showing rifles, pistols and nearly 13,000 rounds of ammunition that it says w...
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers said on Friday (27 February) they were ready to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in several Afghan cities, ...
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating, with Washington ordering a significant military build-up in the region and multiple countries evacu...
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating, with Washington ordering a significant military build-up in the region and multiple countries evacuating diplomatic staff amid fears of further instability.
Speaking during a closed-door deposition in New York on Thursday (February), former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she did not “recall” ever meeting the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and had “no knowledge of his crimes”.
Pakistan’s declaration of an “open war” with Afghanistan must be understood in the context of months of escalating violence, regional analysts have said, describing the latest developments as a significant shift in the nature of the conflict.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their differences through dialogue, offering Tehran’s assistance to facilitate understanding between its eastern neighbours.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating, with Washington ordering a significant military build-up in the region and multiple countries evacuating diplomatic staff amid fears of further instability.
The United States has begun "major combat operations" in Iran, President Donald Trump has confirmed, as Israel said it had launched a "pre-emptive" missile strike against Iranian targets.
The situation in Cuba was heating up and called for restraint following a deadly incident involving a Florida-registered speedboat off the coast of the Caribbean island, the Kremlin said on Thursday (26 February).
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, arrived in Geneva and may hold talks with U.S. officials, according to the RIA news agency.
Ankara has rejected media reports claiming it plans to deploy military forces into Iranian territory in the event of a U.S. attack on the Islamic republic.
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state has risen to 46, authorities said, with 21 people still reported missing. The storms triggered landslides and widespread flooding, displacing thousands across Juiz de Fora and Uba.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday (12 February) announced the repeal of a scientific finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health, and eliminated federal tailpipe emissions standards for cars and trucks.
Tropical Cyclone Gezani has killed at least 31 people and left four others missing after tearing through eastern Madagascar, the government said on Wednesday, with the island nation’s second-largest city bearing the brunt of the destruction.
Rivers and reservoirs across Spain and Portugal were on the verge of overflowing on Wednesday as a new weather front pounded the Iberian peninsula, compounding damage from last week's Storm Kristin.
Morocco has evacuated more than 100,000 people from four provinces after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods across several northern regions, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment