Air pollution in Portuguese urban areas most exposed to road traffic continues to pose a serious concern for authorities. Lisbon and Braga are the two cities that in 2024 exceeded the permitted annual limit of nitrogen dioxide, an atmospheric pollutant directly associated with motor vehicle emissions.
The data for last year confirms that these two cities did not comply with the limit values established for air quality, a situation that places Portugal in a delicate position regarding European environmental obligations. Nitrogen dioxide particularly affects the respiratory health of the population living and working in the most heavily trafficked areas.
The country now has a four-year deadline to implement effective measures that will reverse this situation. By 2030, Portugal will have to ensure compliance with more stringent air quality standards, which will necessarily require a significant reduction in pollutant emissions in the main urban areas.
The situation requires coordinated action between local authorities, central government, and strategic sectors such as transport and energy. Without structural interventions that change mobility patterns and reduce dependence on internal combustion engine vehicles, Portugal risks failing to meet its European commitments on environment and air quality.
