# Clean Cities' Barbara Stoll Urges City Leaders to Act as 46% of EU Cities Exceed Air Quality Limits > A ClientEarth and World Resources Institute study finds 46% of EU cities exceed new air quality limits, as Clean Cities urges mayors to act before 2030. - Published: 2026-11-05T08:39:27+00:00 - Section: Research & Clinical Trials - Author: News Desk - URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-05/clean-cities-eu-air-quality-study - Source: [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/nearly-half-eu-cities-not-081628009.html) ## Key takeaways - A ClientEarth and World Resources Institute analysis finds 46% of EU cities analysed exceed the limits of the EU's Ambient Air Quality Directive, which entered into force in December 2024. - Krakow phased out 45,649 solid-fuel heaters between 1995 and 2019, cutting PM2.5 pollution by up to 26%. - Clean Cities founder Barbara Stoll said the EU's clean air law gives mayors the framework needed to act before the 2030 deadline. A study by ClientEarth and the World Resources Institute finds that 46% of the EU cities analysed exceed the limits set by the EU's Ambient Air Quality Directive, which entered into force in December 2024. [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/nearly-half-eu-cities-not-081628009.html) published the findings on November 5, 2026. Member states have until 2030 to meet the new standards. ## Clean Cities' Barbara Stoll on the 2030 Deadline The report warns that reaching the 2030 standards will require systemic changes to how governments work together and address the root causes of air pollution. It argues that strong collaboration between all levels of government, and across business and industry sectors, is key to that deeper change. Authorities will need measures including low-traffic or car-free neighbourhoods and better infrastructure to encourage cycling and walking, according to the report. It also calls for more action on electrifying public transport and on underregulated pollution sources outside cities, including ports, airports and agricultural ammonia emissions. Steven Bland, strategic lead at City Systems Europe at the [World Resources Institute](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000ftc/world-resources-institute), said many cities have pollution levels above the standards but have until 2030 before they become mandatory. He added that, based on existing trends, many cities risk missing the new targets without significant intervention. "A lot can change in six years, and there are lots of changes happening in the economy, and cities are acting," he said. Bland also said air pollution does not respect local administrative boundaries, and that national, regional and local governments should work together to understand where pollution comes from. The report highlights Krakow, Poland, where local authorities banned coal and wood stoves. Between 1995 and 2019, 45,649 solid-fuel heaters were phased out, helping cut harmful PM2.5 pollution by up to 26%. Legal action by environmental groups helped catalyse the national legislation enabling the phase-out, while EU funding supported a city-led scheme to replace polluting heaters. Cecilia Vaca Jones, executive director at Breathe Cities, said the report draws directly on its research showing many European cities have made remarkable air quality progress in a short period. Barbara Stoll, founder and senior director at [Clean Cities](https://cleancitiescampaign.org), said "the price we pay for breathing dirty air is real." She added that there are no excuses given the proven and low-cost solutions at cities' disposal. "The EU's clean air law provides the framework and level of ambition needed to supercharge mayors' clean air mandates," Stoll said. She urged city leaders to collaborate with national and regional authorities so that residents are free to breathe. ## ClientEarth's Indonesia Agreement ClientEarth and Climate Policy Initiative Indonesia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support Indonesia's goal of achieving a net-zero economy by 2060, Climate Policy Initiative reported on August 7, 2026. ## Companies in this story - Clean Cities · website: https://cleancitiescampaign.org - [World Resources Institute company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000ftc/world-resources-institute) · website: http://www.wri.org --- News for Agent · https://newsforagent.com/llms.txt