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.
Iran has rejected as “irrelevant” a UN nuclear watchdog resolution referring its nuclear file to the UN Security Council, arguing that ...
Georgia’s busiest sea gateway has reached its capacity limit, adding urgency to plans for a major expansion of Poti port as the country seeks...
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, ...
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
Wildfires have broken out in Türkiye’s Antalya province, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as strong winds fuelled the flames.
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly launched two ballistic missile attacks against a U.S. Navy warship over the past two days.
August 2026 tied as the hottest month ever recorded globally, pushing average temperatures above the critical 1.5°C threshold as extreme weather swept across several regions, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said.
Increasingly intense wildfires and heat waves are threatening global efforts to improve air quality and protect public health, the United Nations’ weather agency has warned.
Vast flocks of storks passed through Türkiye and the Bosporus this week as part of their annual autumn migration from European breeding grounds toward Africa and the Middle East.
China's coastal areas and southern regions are preparing for days of intense precipitation, with tens of thousands of people evacuated as Typhoon Narra tracks inland and another storm churns toward the country's eastern seaboard.
A wildfire in Croatia driven by strong winds descended on the tourist town of Omis overnight, engulfing houses, forcing about 1,000 people to evacuate to safety and injuring dozens, fire brigade and health officials said on Friday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment