On June 14, the Italian government issued a decree allowing a reduction in the maximum speed limit for vehicles on certain highways.
These highways are located near or pass through urban areas experiencing severe air pollution.
Accordingly, regional authorities in Italy are allowed to temporarily or permanently reduce the maximum speed limit of vehicles traveling on highways "in case it is necessary to limit emissions from vehicles to reduce the concentration of air pollutants".
The current maximum speed limit on the country's major highways is 130 km/h, and this may be reduced to 110 km/h.
The Italian government hopes that through the new decree, it could reduce the number of lawsuits against the country for violating common European Union (EU) environmental rules. The European Commission often takes legal action against Rome for violating environmental regulations in the bloc.
Italy is one of the countries with the highest levels of air pollution in Europe. According to 2022 data from the European Environment Agency (EEA), the rate of premature deaths due to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Italy is the highest of any country in the region, with 59,500 deaths.
The EEA also warned on April 24, 2023, that air pollution continues to cause more than 1,200 premature deaths each year among people under 18 in Europe.
Despite recent improvements, "air pollution levels in many European countries remain above World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines," according to the EEA.
The EEA issued the warning following a study of more than 30 countries, including 27 member states of the European Union (EU), according to AFP.
A new study, which doesn't mention major industrialized countries like Russia, Ukraine, and the UK, suggests the total number of young people dying in Europe from air pollution may be higher, according to AFP .
The EEA announced in November 2022 that in 2020 there were 238,000 premature deaths due to air pollution in the EU along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Türkiye.
"Air pollution causes more than 1,200 premature deaths each year in under-18s in Europe and significantly increases the risk of disease later in life," the EEA warned, according to AFP .
The EEA is calling on authorities to focus on improving air quality around schools and nurseries as well as sports facilities and public transport hubs.
"After birth, ambient air pollution increases the risk of developing a number of health problems, including asthma, reduced lung function, respiratory infections, and allergies," the EEA noted in the study.
Poor air quality can also “exacerbate chronic diseases such as asthma, which affects 9% of children and adolescents in Europe, as well as increase the risk of developing some chronic diseases later in life,” according to the EEA.
MH (compiled from Giao Thong and Thanh Nien newspapers)
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