Air Quality

The objective is to reduce the number of journeys made in private vehicles in the metropolitan area by 21%, compared to 2013 levels. This is the main source of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution, especially due to older diesel engines.

Hosing down streets and squares, together with reducing activities that produce particulates, helps to reduce the presence of suspended particulates (PM10), a pollutant that is harmful to people's health.

Barcelona City Council is committed to improving the city's public transport network (bus, metro), linking up the city's tramlines and extending the bicycle-lane network, as well as making the fleet of municipal vehicles more environmentally-friendly.

It is working towards a sustainable urban environment, with local services and facilities, which gives priority to pedestrians and has green areas that help to make a healthy city.

The City Council is expanding the bicycle-lane network, improving signage and introducing new bicycle parking places throughout the city.

Based on the Directorate General for Traffic's environmental classification of vehicles, Barcelona City Council is encouraging the use of vehicles that pollute less.

The introduction of new charge points for electric vehicles around the city is being encouraged, and the Bicing service is being complemented with electric-bicycle stations.

With the help of AMB, an environmental-protection zone is being delimited, where the use of the most polluting vehicles is restricted in order to ensure air quality for local residents.

Local actions are being undertaken to protect the health of groups that are more sensitive to atmospheric pollution, such as children.