Free Paris public transport amid high air pollution

The city is suffering some of its worst air pollution in recent years, exposing millions of residents to dangerous doses of particulate matter.

Several other departments are also on alert for high levels of pollution, with visitors to the French capital greeted by a hazy skyline, due to pollutants.

Data from the watchdog, Airparif, showed that the outdoor air quality reached 100 in Paris on Wednesday, making it one of only two northern European capital cities in the very high category. The index stood at 76 in London, 61 in Berlin and 62 Rome.

The weather has played a major part in the increase in air pollution. High pressure has led to light winds and an inversion, acting as a lid on the on the lowest part of the atmosphere, trapping pollutants near the surface.

In addition, there has been a gentle drift of pollution from the industrial areas of northern Europe, which has stagnated under the area of high pressure – adding to air quality problems.

France regularly gets warned by European authorities over its air pollution levels, due to the higher use of diesel by French drivers. Diesel engines produce particulate matter found to be carcinogenic by the World Health Organisation.

Three environmental groups worried over the recurring spikes in air pollution filed a lawsuit against persons unknown this week for endangering the life of others.

The pollution episode comes just weeks before French voters go to the polls on 23 and 30 March to elect new city mayors, and is likely to be the subject of acrimonious spats between Socialist candidate Anne Hidalgo and her Conservative contender Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet.

Paris is not the only European city struggling with air pollution levels. Other large European cities, including London, were also told by European authorities to cut pollution last year.

Meteo France, the country’s national weather service, said that rainfall and wind from Saturday would reduce air pollution levels.

According to the Commission and European Environment Agency, which provides guidance to EU policy-makers, 400,000 people in Europe die prematurely each year due to diseases linked to air pollution.