Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Italy
Italy: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 13.35 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▼ Falling
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Italy, 1998–2024
Source: Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
The most recent figure for exposure to air pollution from human sources in Italy is 13.35 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Italy peaked at 19.89 micrograms per cubic meter in 2006 and was at its lowest, 12.62 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2021.
That places Italy 105th out of 240 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.66 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.3 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.01 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 18.08 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.89 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.45 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.93 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.92 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.92 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near Italy
- 102 Colombia 13.88 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 103 Kazakhstan 13.74 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 104 Brazil 13.5 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 106 Argentina 13.26 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 107 Croatia 13.25 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 108 Liberia 13.05 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Italy
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 371.17 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 6.3 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 21.92 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 2.28 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 4.49 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0558 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 44.9 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.1973 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.3495 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 15.57 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to air pollution from human sources in Italy?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Italy was 13.35 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, according to Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 19.89 micrograms per cubic meter in 2006.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.62 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021.
- How does Italy rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- Italy ranks 105th out of 240 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Italy data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Exposure to air pollution from human sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual population-weighted average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air, measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, which can pose significant health risks. This data excludes natural sources of PM2.5, such as dust and sea salt, to focus on human-caused pollution.