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Population with increased exposure to PM₂,₅ particulate matter at the place of residence
Year Value Units
2010 100.0 Percentage
2011 99.801 Percentage
2012 92.959 Percentage
2013 98.858 Percentage
2014 95.477 Percentage
2015 85.06 Percentage
2016 76.184 Percentage
2017 67.727 Percentage
2018 81.511 Percentage
2019 30.747 Percentage
2020 15.03 Percentage
2021 28.232 Percentage
2030 Percentage

Data source: German Environment Agency

Geographical Area: Germany

Note: Interim target 4 according to WHO Air Quality Guidelines 2021: 10 micrograms per cubic metre as an annual average.

This table includes additional information to the above visualized indicators, i.e. a short definition of this indicator and a description of the politically determined target values as well as explaining the political intention behind selecting this indicator.

Definition (Text from the Indicator Report 2022 - State 31.10.2022)

The indicator shows the number of persons who are exposed at their place of residence to an annual average of more than 20 micrograms (µg) of PM₁₀ particulate matter (dust particles with a diameter less than 10 µm) per cubic metre (m³) of air (only background pollution, without local sources).
Target and intention (Text from the Indicator Report 2022 - State 31.10.2022)

Long-term exposure of humans to particulate matter is especially liable to lead to health problems such as respiratory and cardiovascular disorders as well as increasing the risk of type-2 diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. To better protect their health, by the year 2030 it should consequently be achieved that nobody will be exposed to an annual mean of more than 20 micrograms (µg) of particulate matter PM₁₀ per cubic metre (m³) of air at their place of residence. The guideline value of 20 µg/m³ corresponds to the level recommended by the World Health Organization and is far more stringent than the 40 µg annual mean ceiling that applies in the EU. On 26 October 2022, the European commission proposed amendments to the air quality directive (LQ-RL), such that in the future, boundary values should adjust to the updated guidelines by the World Health Organization published in September 2021. The proposal from the commission is currently debated on European level. The indicator and the targets will be updated accordingly for the 2024 report.
Definition

The indicator represents the proportion of people (in per cent) who were exposed to more than 10 micrograms (µg) of particulate matter PM₂.₅ (dust particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) per cubic metre (m³) of air at their place of residence on an annual average (background pollution only, excluding local sources).
Intention

Long-term human exposure to particulate matter can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and neurodegenerative diseases. In order to better protect health, the aim is therefore to ensure that no person in Germany is exposed to an annual average concentration of particulate matter (PM₂.₅) of more than 10 micrograms (µg) per cubic metre (m³) of air at their place of residence by 2030. The target value of 10 µg/m³ corresponds to intermediate target 4 from the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the Air Quality Guidelines. In addition, this value was defined in the European Union’s updated Air Quality Directive as a legal limit value to be complied with from 2030. The indicator enables continuous monitoring of development trends with regard to target achievement.
Target

Reduction of the proportion of the population exposed to PM₂.₅ fine particulate matter levels above 10 micrograms per cubic meter annually (corresponding to the new EU limit value for PM₂.₅ to be met from 2030) to 0 per cent by 2030
Type of target

Goal with a specific target value
Implemen­tation in weather symbol calculation

The proportion of the population with an annual average exposure to PM₂.₅ particulate matter of more than 10 micrograms per cubic metre is to be reduced to 0 percent by 2030.


Based on the target formulation, the average development since 2016 (despite the increase in 2021) indicates that the politically defined target can be achieved well before 2030. Indicator 3.2.b is rated as “Sun” for 2021.
Assessment

Weathersymbol: Sun
Data state

15.01.2025

Text from the Indicator Report 2022 

Direct sources of particulate matter are the industrial generation of energy and heat, agriculture, road traffic and heating, particularly with solid fuels and more especially with wood in household fireplaces or stoves. Particulate matter, however, can also occur through the formation of secondary particles as a result of chemical reactions with precursors such as sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and organic carbon.

The particulate matter (PM₁₀) contained in the air is measured at a total of more than 370 air monitoring sites in both metropolitan and rural areas of Germany. For methodological reasons, the indicator is based only on the readings from the monitoring sites that are not exposed to direct particulate emissions from traffic or to any other significant local sources, because these measure only high localised concentrations (hot spots) and not area-wide particulate air pollution. From a combination of model results with the measured monitoring data on background concentrations, the particulate concentrations for the whole area of Germany are obtained. These concentrations are combined with information on population distribution to determine the number of persons who are exposed to annual mean particulate pollution of more than 20 micrograms per cubic metre of air at their place of residence. Rather than indicating nationwide compliance with the guideline value, the indicator merely shows that the value is not exceeded at the population’s places of residence. Neither does it give any indication of the exposure level of the population in total nor its variation in the course of the year. Since the modelled calculation is based only on measuring stations that are not exposed to direct particular matter emissions from local sources, it may well be assumed that the indicator underestimates the level of pollution. In addition, this indicator makes no provision for the separate analysis of pollution caused by finer particulate matter particles (PM₂.₅ and PM₀,₁).

The last few years from 2007 to 2020 have seen a significant reduction in particulate matter pollution caused by PM₁₀. While in 2007 the average pollution exposure of the population was still 18.9 µg per m³ of air, in 2020 it was just 12.3 µg per m³. During the same period, the number of people exposed to an annual average of more than 20 µg PM₁₀ per m³ of air at their place of residence has also fallen considerably – from around 29.7 million people in 2007 to only around 400,000 people in 2020.

Weather also influences the measurements of airborne particulate matter. Part of the reason for the sharp drop in 2011 and subsequent years is presumably that there were relatively few instances of temperature inversion in the winter months, although that curve has flattened out since 2015. Depending on wind speed, direction and air temperature, particulate matter may be transported into other regions and countries or else, during inversions, may become more concentrated at its place of origin.

If the average development of the past few years continues, it is likely that the achieved target of exposing the population nationwide to a background particulate matter pollution of less than 20 micrograms per cubic meter of air on an annual average can be sustained.