EU clean air policy has delivered substantial successes over the past two decades. Air quality has improved across the EU, supported by regulatory developments and emission reductions. And yet, despite the progress made, air pollution remains the number one environmental burden on health, in Europe and worldwide, resulting in a significant number of non-communicable diseases and premature deaths attributable to poor air quality.
The adverse impacts of air pollution on human health and our environment are avoidable. We have seen that the consequent implementation of clean air policy delivers tangible results, and that clean technology investments and collaborative efforts to reduce air pollution pay off socio-economically. Add to this that recent advances in Earth Observation and digitalisation offer additional potential to inform decisive action to improve air quality.
To discuss these and other clean air policy related topics, the European Commission is organising the fifth EU Clean Air Forum on 1 and 2 December 2025. This edition will be hosted by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) at the Plenary Chamber of the World Conference Centre in the city of Bonn, Germany.
The Forum will bring together leading experts, policymakers, and advocates to share insights and explore solutions that pave the way for cleaner, healthier environments. This event is a chance to engage in meaningful discussions and contribute to actionable strategies that support our collective goal of achieving clean air for all. Particular attention will also be paid to the evaluation of the National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive.
The sessions will cover the following topics:
Earth observation and clean air
Artificial intelligence and machine learning for air quality analysis
Clean air innovation and investments for a competitive Europe
Do our policies work? Evaluation of the NEC Directive
Regional action on clean air
Super pollutants – bad for the climate and bad for the air
Improving how we talk about clean air and health in cities
