Europe’s politicians have moral responsibility to tackle air pollution, says WHO environment director

Smog above the skyline of Sofia, Bulgaria. A Guardian investigation has found 98% of people live in areas that exceed WHO guidelines for air pollution. Photograph: Hristo Rusev/Getty Images

Politicians across Europe have a moral responsibility to urgently tackle the continent’s dangerously polluted air, according to Maria Neira, the director of the World Health Organization’s department of environment, climate change and health.

On Wednesday a Guardian investigation revealed that Europe is facing a severe public health crisis, with almost everyone on the continent living in areas with dangerous levels of air pollution.