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The European Space Agency's (ESA's) high-resolution global atmospheric map of nitrogen dioxide pollution recently showed how air quality problems (nitrogen dioxide) accumulate over the Northwest European urban area and the Po-river delta.

Nitrogen dioxide pollution

The Northwest European urban area, together with the Italian Po-river delta are among the world's most polluted area's when it comes to nitrogen dioxide. The image pointing this out is made by ESA's ten-instrument Envisat, the world's largest satellite for environmental monitoring, launched in February 2002.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a mainly man-made gas, excess exposure to which causes lung damage and respiratory problems. Research done by the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) shows that traffic is mostly to blame for the NO2 pollution, at least in Holland. 43% of the NO2 pollution is caused by traffic, 16% by the combination of industry, energy, agriculture and other sources. The remaining 39% arrives across the border from the Flanders (Belgium) and Rhein-Ruhr area (Germany). It is most likely that also here most part of the NO2 pollution is caused by traffic. The overall contribution of traffic to the NO2 pollution might end up at roughly 70%.

It should be no surprise that areas with too much nitrogen dioxide pollution are commonly found along motorways. New European regulation prohibits building housing, hospitals, schools and other buildings for sensitive uses in such areas. The Netherlands has always complained about the new strict European norms. But ESA's satellite image suggests that the air in Holland is disproportionally dirty.

But satellite observations clearly that the poly-centric urban areas in Holland, Flanders and Rhein-Ruhr area are experiencing more problems with air quality than classic metropolises like London and Paris. The root of these problems seems to lie in the traffic system. The Dutch, Belgium and German urban sprawl might be generating more car traffic due to it's larger size and lower density. The need for a sustainable approach towards mobility and it's relation with land-use seems to be evident in the Northwest European urban area.