In October, the city of Madrid reached the lowest level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) recorded in its historybelow the 28 ug/m3 of the Plaza Elíptica, and plans to comply again for the third consecutive year with the European directive on air quality.
The average reduction in NO2 values from 2019 to 2024 across the 24 air quality stations is 39.2%. The biggest drop was recorded in stations such as the urbanization of embassies (-60.5%), the schools of Aguirre (-52.8%) or Retiro (-50%), have progressed in the field of town planning, environment and mobility.
Success against pollution
Madrid City Hall describes the Madrid 360 environmental sustainability strategy as “A model of success in the fight against pollution“, is reflected in the air quality records collected monthly by the 24 measuring stations located throughout the city.”
Furthermore, the council highlights that, since the measures envisaged by Madrid 360 began to be applied, the first in February 2020 with the implementation of the Madrid Zero EMT Lines, “there was a gradual decrease in the maximum levels in each of them“.
Annual limit value
It is indicated that “with the data provided by the annual limit value (ALV) of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) for the month of October, it is expected that Madrid will comply again for the third year in a row with the European Air Quality Directive.”
The average reduction in NO2 values from 2019 to 2024 across the 24 air quality stations is 39.2%. The greatest decrease was recorded in stations such as Urbanización Embajadas (-60.5%), the Aguirre (-52.8%) or Retiro (-50%) schools.
A past full of failures
The municipality reminds that the capital of Spain raped from 2010 to 2021 the NO2 thresholds established in the directive, the maximum of which for VLA is set at 40 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3).
Over the past decade, The worst year for air quality was 2017, when this limit was exceeded in 15 of the 24 air quality stations available to the city.
In 2018, the last reference year included in the condemning the judgment of the European Court of Justice against Spain Due to the repeated non-compliance of Madrid, Barcelona and Bajo Llobregat since 2010, it has been exceeded by seven and in 2019, by three.
Historical levels
In 2020 and 2021, there were only a station which exceeded 40 μg/m3: Elliptical square. It was in 2022 that NO2 levels fell below this margin, allowing for the first time to comply with European regulations, a step that was repeated in 2023 and is expected to consolidate with even lower values in 2024.
The month of October ended with NO2 levels below 28 μg/m3, data from Plaza Elíptica. In 2023, it closes at 35 μg/m3; in 2022, with 40; in 2021, with 39; in 2020, with 40, and in 2019, with Madrid Central in force, with 55. This is how the history of the VLA over the past six years is reflected on what was the black spot of Madrid’s pollution, the Plaza Elíptica.
No contamination protocol
The effectiveness of Madrid 360 is also reflected in the fact that, for the second year in a row, The Action Protocol for episodes of nitrogen dioxide pollution has not been activated. The last time was in December 2021. During the years 2022 and 2023, capital did not exceed the NO2 thresholds set in this action plan.
The contamination protocol was activated in 2021 twice for seven days; in 2020, the year of the pandemic, for three days; In 2019, with Madrid Central in effect, it was activated in three episodes (14 days); in 2018, in four periods (12 days) and in 2017, it was the year when it was most active, with seven episodes, lasting 43 days.
No dynamic rate
Due to the general decrease in nitrogen dioxide levels, throughout 2024, the dynamic rate has not been activated. In January 2022, this rate was implemented in Madrid’s Regulated Parking Service (SER) – provided for in the Sustainable Mobility Ordinance – to help reduce the city’s polluting emissions.
This involves a surcharge on the service based on the average nitrogen dioxide concentration in urban background stations between 00:00 and 23:00 the previous day. The amount of the fee increases by 60% or 100% depending on whether nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels exceed 60 μg/m3 (section I) or 70 μg/m3 (section II), respectively.
Improving air quality represents a reduction of risks to the health of citizens, in particular the most vulnerable groups: the elderly, children and people suffering from respiratory pathologies.
