Air pollution also damages our environment.
Acidification was substantially reduced between 1990 and 2010 in Europe’s sensitive ecosystem areas that
were subjected to acid deposition of excess sulphur and nitrogen compounds.
Eutrophication, an environmental problem caused by the input of excessive nutrients into ecosystems, saw
less progress. The area of sensitive ecosystems affected by excessive atmospheric nitrogen diminished only
slightly between 1990 and 2010.
Crop damage is caused by exposure to high ozone concentrations. Most agricultural crops are exposed to
ozone levels that exceed the EU long-term objective intended to protect vegetation. This notably includes a
significant proportion of agricultural areas, particularly in southern, central and eastern Europe.