Cyprus Fails European Air Quality Test

A recent air quality study across European cities has given Cyprus one of the lowest ratings. Limassol and Nicosia are near the bottom of the list.

According to the European Environment Agency, Limassol ranks 286th, and Nicosia is 288th out of 372 cities evaluated for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels. Both Cypriot cities are only slightly ahead of Athens, which came in at 290th.

The cleanest air was found in two Swedish cities—Uppsala and Umeå—which secured the top two spots in the rankings. The Swedish capital, Stockholm, is 11th, the highest among capital cities, while Helsinki, Finland, is in 12th place.

Faro in Portugal holds the third position, and Funchal on Madeira Island also made it into the top ten.

Despite efforts to reduce pollution and improve air quality across Europe, the study reveals limited progress. Only 13 cities have achieved fine particulate matter levels below the recommended threshold set by the agency.

The analysis also found that three out of four Europeans live in urban areas where the majority are exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution.