EU Zero Pollution Action Plan

The EU Action Plan ‘Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil’,¹ adopted in 2021, is a core component of the European Green Deal and establishes the Union’s long-term framework for preventing and reducing pollution across all environmental media. It sets out a vision for 2050 in which air, water, and soil pollution are reduced to levels no longer considered harmful to human health and natural ecosystems, thereby supporting sustainable economic activity, biodiversity protection, and improved quality of life.

The Action Plan translates this long-term vision into a set of quantified targets to be achieved by 2030, with a focus on pollution prevention at source. These include a 55% reduction in premature deaths caused by air pollution, a 50% reduction in plastic litter at sea, a 30% reduction in microplastics released into the environment, and a 50% reduction in nutrient losses and the use of chemical pesticides affecting soil. The Plan also aims to reduce by 25% the area of ecosystems where air pollution threatens biodiversity, significantly reduce overall waste generation and cut residual municipal waste by 50%, and reduce by 30% the share of people chronically disturbed by transport-related noise.

To support implementation of the Action Plan, the European Commission, in cooperation with the European Committee of the Regions, has established the Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform². The Platform brings together stakeholders and experts on health, agriculture, transport, research and innovation, digitalisation, and the environment to promote coordinated action, shared ownership, and integrated solutions. It supports collaboration and facilitates the exchange of good practices. The Platform is underpinned by regular monitoring and evidence, including the Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook Reports³ jointly produced by the European Environment Agency⁴ and the Joint Research Centre⁵.