Approximately two-thirds of the Spanish population breathed air that exceeded new European Union pollution limits in 2025 [1, 2].
The findings highlight a growing gap between current atmospheric quality and the stricter legal standards the EU intends to mandate before 2030 [1]. As climate change intensifies heatwaves and urban mobility recovers, Spain faces a challenge in meeting these health-based benchmarks.
Data shows that 32.6 million people were exposed to polluted air during 2025 [1]. This represents an increase of two million more people than were exposed in 2024 [1]. This shift marks a reversal of a previous trend where pollution levels had been declining since 2020 [1].
Miguel Ángel Ceballos, the coordinator of the report from Ecologistas en Acción, said there has been a "repunte en la contaminación atmosférica en España, tras años de descenso de la contaminación desde 2020" [1].
Experts attribute the decline in air quality to a combination of extreme heat and a rebound in mobility [1]. High temperatures can exacerbate the formation of ground-level pollutants, while increased traffic contributes more particulate matter to the air. These factors combined to push more days over the legal thresholds established by the EU [1].
The report notes that 66% of the population was affected by these levels [1]. While some reports previously cited similar percentages for 2024, the most recent data emphasizes the continued and increasing nature of the exposure through 2025 [1, 2].
“32.6 million people were exposed to polluted air during 2025”
The discrepancy between Spain's current air quality and the EU's 2030 targets suggests that existing environmental policies may be insufficient to counter the effects of rising temperatures. Because extreme heat acts as a catalyst for pollution, the country may need to implement more aggressive mobility restrictions or urban cooling strategies to avoid legal sanctions and public health crises as the 2030 deadline approaches.
