Over 110 Million Europeans Exposed to Harmful Transport Noise

More than one in five Europeans, totaling over 110 million people, are exposed to harmful levels of transport noise from road traffic, railways, and airplanes, according to the European Environment Agency's 2025 report. This noise pollution leads to significant health issues including physiological stress, sleep disturbances, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and contributes to approximately 66,000 premature deaths annually. Children are especially vulnerable, with noise exposure linked to reading impairments, behavioral problems, and obesity. Despite the EU's goal to reduce the number of people chronically disturbed by transport noise by 30% by 2030, progress has been slow and the target is unlikely to be met without additional measures such as improving access to quiet and green urban spaces. The economic cost of noise pollution is also substantial, estimated at nearly €100 billion annually, equivalent to 0.6% of the EU’s GDP. Road traffic remains the dominant source of noise pollution, particularly in densely populated urban areas, with countries like France, Germany, Cyprus, and Luxembourg experiencing the highest exposure levels.