2)Air pollution poses a serious health risk in many European cities. But specific solutions are within reach. Symbolbild Gesundheit Abgase Luft (picture alliance/WILDLIFE/C.Heumader)Around 3 million deaths worldwide were linked to outdoor air pollution in 2016, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The European Environment Agency (EEA) says air pollution is the single largest environmental health hazard in Europe, causing around 467,000 premature deaths in Europe in 2013.The largest contributor to air pollution in European urban areas is traffic. Vehicular particulate matter poses a health risk to about 85 percent of people living in European cities, according to the EEA.Automobiles, in particular diesel cars, are the primary source for particulate pollution. Tire particles, stirred up from the streets, also enter our lungs as we breathe.Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emitted from cars harms our respiratory systems, and may cause asthma. Diesel cars emit NOx - on average, even new models release six times as much NOx as gasoline engines.