Only 5% of the global population has been exposed to ozone levels rated as “good,” while 15% have experienced conditions described as “acceptable.”
A Global Respiratory Crisis
The year 2026 marks a alarming threshold for global air quality: more than one third of the planet’s population (34%) has been exposed to extremely dangerous levels of ozone pollution. According to the latest report from the European atmosphere monitoring service Copernicus (CAMS), only 5% of Earth’s inhabitants could breathe air rated as “good,” while 15% benefited from conditions simply described as “acceptable.” A massive deterioration that underscores the direct, toxic link between climate warming and the worsening of the atmosphere.
Although global in scope, this deterioration hits continents unevenly. Asia bears the heaviest burden, with 53% of its population exposed to “extremely high” concentrations during the first eight months of the year. North America is not spared, with two-thirds of its population facing air quality that is “bad” or “very bad.” Europe, meanwhile, records a 45% exposure rate.
Heat Waves and Wildfires
These figures, drawn from atmospheric modeling and satellite observations, point to a phenomenon of unprecedented scale. Ozone forms in the atmosphere when sunlight interacts with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds emitted by traffic, industry, and fires. In 2026, the spread of this toxic gas was accelerated by record heat waves and massive wildfires in Europe and North America.
As ozone penetrates deep into the respiratory tract, it causes irritation, shortness of breath, and significantly worsens conditions such as asthma. Air pollution is responsible for roughly 180,000 premature deaths in Europe each year, including about 60,000 attributable to ozone. In the face of a pollutant capable of traveling thousands of kilometers across oceans and continents, local regulations reveal their limitations.
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