Clean air is a major challenge for Milan, the capital of the Lombardy region and the most populated city in Northern Italy. Despite the city’s efforts to limit vehicular traffic in congested areas and start energy efficiency campaigns, more than 2 million people are exposed to air pollution that often exceeds EU thresholds.
The climate of the Po Valley, where the city is located, limits the effectiveness of efforts to reduce polluting emissions in Milan. The city exceeds the EU air quality limit values on 70 to 80 days a year. Additionally, ozone concentrations reach harmful levels in the summer.
Milan is finalising its first Air Quality Plan outlining measures that will protect the health and improve the quality of life of people in the city. In the context of the Urban Agenda Partnership on Air Quality, Milan is leading the way on one of the actions identified in the Partnership Action Plan, namely No. 3 – better targeted funding for air quality.