ETC HE Report 2025/12: Ozone levels in relation to its precursors: NOx, NMVOCs and CH4

This report analyses ozone levels and its precursors (NOₓ, NMVOCs and CH₄) within the context of the revised European Ambient Air Quality Directive (2024/2881) – the revised AAQD. Ozone remains a major public health challenge, causing 71,000 deaths annually across Europe. The revised AAQD strengthens ozone policy by aligning long-term objective for human health with WHO guidelines, mandating air quality plans when target value exceedances occur, and expanding precursor monitoring to 46 VOC species. Analysis shows progress in reducing precursor emissions between 1990 and 2022: NOx (-64%), NMVOCs (-62%), and CH4 (-39%). However, challenges persist in sectors like biological waste treatment, solvent use, and agriculture. Precursor monitoring networks are fragmented, but compliance is achievable through a tiered design leveraging existing infrastructures and satellite observations. Few dedicated ozone plans exist, though efforts are growing. The report provides monitoring recommendations aligned with the revised AAQD, supporting Member States in meeting the 2050 objective.

17 Apr 2026

Alicia Gressent (Ineris), Augustin Colette (Ineris), Joana Soares (NILU), Mona Johnsrud (NILU), Luca Pozzoli (NILU), Sverre Solberg (NILU), Elisabeth Kampel (Klarfakt), Marion Pinterits (Klarfakt), Silvia Monge (EEA)

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