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During the 2019-2020 period, a major and general descent of NO2 levels is detected due to the impact of COVID-19 mobility restriction measures. During 2020 and 2021, the city's traffic monitoring stations show compliance with EU limit values but there are specific areas of high traffic and low-dispersion conditions for pollutants in which concentrations of NO2 can be higher than at the city's traffic monitoring stations. On these streets, which channel traffic into the city centre, the configuration of tall buildings with respect to the gauge of the road makes it difficult to disperse local pollutants emitted by traffic.
The immission model for 2020 and 2021 has estimated that in these particular areas the EU limit value (40 µg/m3) is exceeded, even though it has been fulfilled in all air quality monitoring stations around the city.
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These maps provide the data, on annual average and at street section level, of the main atmospheric pollutants in Barcelona. In addition, it also shows which areas comply or fail with the limit value set by European regulation (EU limit value) or with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO guideline).
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We understand the emission like the amount of pollutant that is going to the atmosphere from a source, such as the oxides of nitrogen emitted by the point and mobile focus of a car, the sulphur dioxide emitted through a chimney or the particles emitted by a diffuse source such as wind when blowing over a dry surface.
Instead, immission is the concentration value of an existing pollutant per unit volume of air, at every point in the territory. In other words, it would be the concentration of pollutants to which the population is subjected and breathing at that particular point.
The relationship between emission and immission is not direct. This means that for the same emission we can have an immission at a very different point. Why? Because once the pollutant has been emitted into the atmosphere, it undergoes physical and chemical transformations (especially transport and scattering, but also chemical reactions, deposition, aggregation, etc.) that depend on the intrinsic state of the atmosphere and change over time.
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Data on the most frequent air pollutants in Barcelona which, therefore, have the greatest negative effect on the health of city residents, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and suspended particulates PM10 and PM2.5, can be found on the portal.
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NO2 is an irritant, reddish-brown gas with a biting odour which is not visible to the naked eye and comes from various sources: motor vehicle combustion, the industrial sector, and activity linked to the port, among others. It is calculated that 60% comes from wheeled transport, making it the main contributor.
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When we talk about particulate matter (PM) we are referring to the tiny dust particles which, despite being invisible to our eyes, float in the air and easily penetrate our respiratory system, and could even pass into our blood vessels and stay there.
These particles are classified according to the aerodynamic diameter: particulate matter less than 10 microns (PM10) and particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5). PM2.5 includes so-called ultrafine particles, which are less than 0.1 microns in diameter.
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CO2 is an insipid, colourless, odourless gas. It is not toxic and so is not considered to be directly harmful to health. However, it is a greenhouse gas and is does have a direct effect on global warming and climate change.
However, suspended particulates and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), among others, are air pollutants which, if they exceed the threshold values set by the respective regulations, are considered harmful to people’s health.
In this case, the basic objective of all the measures introduced by Barcelona City Council to do with air quality, most notably restrictions on the circulation of the most polluting vehicles, is to improve the city’s air quality and so they are focused on the air pollutants that are harmful to people’s health.
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The LEZ of Barcelona is an area where access by some vehicles is restricted with the aim to reduce environmental pollution due to mobility, preserve and improve air quality and public health, and contribute to mitigating the impacts of climate change and ensure a better sound environment.
The scope of the LEZ can be found in the Environmental Data Maps by clicking on the "Other layers" option and then selecting the "LEZ" layer.
More information
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The maps represent the real situation, so all the sectors that emit the pollutants measured have been taken into account: roads, industry, the port, the airport, and domestic and tertiary sectors.
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A modelling of the dispersion of pollutants across the city of Barcelona is made from the georeferenced inventory of emissions and all the structural and contour variables that need to be considered. This modelling, calibrated using the actual values recorded by the Air Pollution Monitoring and Forecast Network (XVPCA)’s manual and automatic measuring devices, and corrected where necessary by other available studies or data, is what is shown on the display.
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Every year, the Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB) publishes a report with detailed information on the situation regarding all the air pollutants regulated in the city.
More information
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The air quality immission maps by street sections don’t provide a snapshot of air quality at any given time. Instead they show the annual mean of each pollutant measured, following the pertinent European legislation threshold or guideline.
The emission levels are measured in ambient air and not the air inside the buildings and housing where the population lives, and the source of pollutant emissions inside homes is not taken into account.
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The pertinent legislation establishes that the evaluation period of the different air pollutants over the long term is one year.
Annual means give a good indication of the average level of a pollutant in a long-term exposure. Increasingly evidence is pointing to long-term exposure to air pollution as being more important than exposure to short-term peaks.
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Various factors influence and cause the variability in the annual levels of atmospheric pollution recorded: the weather conditions recorded in that year, improvements in vehicle anti-pollutant technologies, the introduction of measures for reducing pollution, and so on.
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Intense industrial activity, the high volume of traffic in Barcelona and its metropolitan area, a Mediterranean climate with low average rainfall, and the arrival of Saharan dust clouds all favour concentrations of polluting elements in the air we breathe. This has a negative effect on health.
Even though they are invisible to the naked eye, these pollutants severely endanger people’s health, and especially the health of the most vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, adults with heart disease or respiratory problems, and elderly people.
According to the studies carried out by the Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB), air pollution is a particularly important health problem for the most vulnerable population. Studies also confirm that pollution directly affects children's cognitive development. Numerous scientific studies have evidenced a direct link between exposure to air pollution and poorer health in both the short and long term.
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The European air quality regulation aims to minimise the harmful effects of air pollution on human health. However, unlike the recommended values or the World Health Organization guide (WHO guide value), based solely on health impacts, to determine the limit values appearing in Directive 2008/50/EC and RD 102/2011 (EU limit value) the feasibility of compliance is taken into account, as well as the economic repercussions that may result from it.
In this way, the values recommended by the WHO are, in all cases, stricter than the equivalent limit values laid down by European standards.
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For nitrogen dioxide (NO2): 40 µg/m3 (on average annual).
For particulate matter PM10: 40 µg/m3 (on average annual).
For particulate matter PM2.5: 25 µg/m3 (on average annual).
More information
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With the update of the air quality guidelines in 2021, these have become the following ones:
- For nitrogen dioxide (NO2): 10 µg/m3 (on average annual).
- For particulate matter PM10: 15 µg/m3 (on average annual).
- For particulate matter PM2.5: 5 µg/m3 (on average annual).
Previously, air quality guidelines since 2005 were:
- For nitrogen dioxide (NO2): 40 µg/m3 (on average annual).
- For particulate matter PM10: 20 µg/m3 (on average annual).
- For particulate matter PM2.5: 10 µg/m3 (on average annual).
More information
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Because of the update of the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines in 2021, becoming stricter given the scientific evidence regarding the impact on human health of air pollution.
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In order to correctly understand the information provided by the map, account must be taken of the limit value, on average mean per year and for each pollutant, laid down in the European regulation (EU limit value), as well as the values recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO guideline).
It must be taken into account that the EU limit value and the recommended by the WHO vary for each pollutant considered, and may also be different for the same pollutant.
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Data that can be displayed on maps comes from a modelling. For this reason, and given the intrinsic error of all kinds of modelling, it is convenient to show the results by a range of values.
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Where no information is given for a street section on the ring roads, this denotes that the spot is covered, so it makes no sense to indicate the air pollution there.
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The Port of Barcelona, managed by the Barcelona Port Authority, which depends on “Puertos del Estado”, is autonomous, with its own competences in terms of air quality. For this reason it is shaded in grey. However, emissions from the Port have been fully considered in modelling.
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Current regulations on air quality are based on the framework of common European regulations and their transposition into the Spanish legislative framework, but there are also sectorial regulations at different levels, from basic laws legislated at Spanish level to other regulations from the autonomous and municipal sphere.
At European level:- Directive 2008/50/CE of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe.
At national level:- Ley 34/2007, de 15 de noviembre, de calidad del aire y protección de la atmósfera.
- Real Decreto 102/2011, de 28 de enero, relativo a la mejora de la calidad del aire.
- Ley 7/2021, de 20 de mayo, de cambio climático y transición energética.
- Real Decreto 1052/2022, de 27 de diciembre, por el que se regulan las zonas de bajas emisiones.
At regional level:- Llei 22/1983, de 21 de novembre, de protecció de l'ambient atmosfèric.
Developed at:- Decret 322/1987, de 23 de setembre, de desplegament de la Llei 22/1983, de 21 de novembre, de Protecció de l'Ambient Atmosfèric.
- Decret 226/2006, de 23 de maig, pel qual es declaren zones de protecció especial de l'ambient atmosfèric diversos municipis de les comarques del Barcelonès, el Vallès Oriental, el Vallès Occidental i el Baix Llobregat per al contaminant diòxid de nitrogen i per a les partícules.
At municipal level:- Ordenança de Medi Ambient de Barcelona. Títol II i Annex I sobre contaminació atmosfèrica.
- Ordenança de la ZBE de Barcelona, per la qual es fixen els criteris d'accés, circulació i estacionament de vehicles en la zona de baixes emissions i es promou una mobilitat sense emissions.
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They can be downloaded from the Open Data BCN website.
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In the “Contact” section, go to “Complaints and suggestions about air quality”.
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In the “Contact” section, go to “Technical query or incident of the environmental data maps”.
Acoustic quality
Air quality