> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Record Ozone Levels Across Catalonia in 2026 - URL: https://barna.news/record-ozone-levels-across-catalonia-in/ - Published: 2026-10-22T16:56:46.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-22T16:58:15.000Z - Description: Catalonia has recorded the highest ozone pollution levels since 2010, affecting nearly the entire population, according to a new report. - Author: Barna.News - Tags: environment, Catalonia Video: [Ecologistas en Acción](https://www.youtube.com/@ecologistasenaccion?ref=barna.news) / YouTube ## Worst Year for Ozone Since 2010 Ozone pollution in Catalonia has reached its highest levels since current legal limits were introduced in 2010, with a 53% increase in exceedances compared to the 2012–2019 average, according to data from Ecologistes en Acció. The findings, based on monitoring from 53 official stations between 1 January and 30 September 2026, highlight a dramatic deterioration in air quality driven by extreme heat, four summer heatwaves, and widespread forest fires. ## 12 of 14 Zones Exceed EU 2030 Target Under the new EU health protection objective for 2030, assessed over the 2024–2026 triennium, ozone levels exceeded safe thresholds in 12 of Catalonia’s 14 air quality zones. These zones are home to nearly eight million people, or 97% of the region’s population. The most severe increases occurred in the western Pyrenees, Vallès-Baix Llobregat, Maresme, and Camp de Tarragona, where exceedances rose by up to 400% compared to the 2012–2019 average. In contrast, ozone levels fell slightly in the eastern Pyrenees and Terres de l’Ebre, by 24% and 4% respectively. ## Public Health at Risk When applying current legal limits, 187,000 residents in Plana de Vic and Prepirineu lleidatà were exposed to unsafe ozone levels. However, under World Health Organization guidelines, which are stricter, the entire Catalan population faced harmful exposure. Exposure to high ozone levels particularly affects children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. The European Environment Agency estimates up to 2,000 premature deaths annually in Catalonia due to ozone, while the Instituto de Salud Carlos III recorded over 2,000 excess deaths during summer 2026 linked to heat, worsened by air pollution. ## Environmental Group Denounces Inaction Ecologistes en Acció has criticised the Generalitat for failing to implement effective measures beyond issuing public notices. The group demands urgent enforcement of the Air Quality Plan Horizon 2027 and a revised action plan for pollution episodes. It calls for mandatory traffic restrictions in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, temporary industrial limits in the Camp de Tarragona petrochemical zone, and better public information on health risks. > We can no longer settle for warnings. We need binding policies to cut emissions at source. ## Recommended Measures The organisation urges a reduction in motorised traffic, energy savings, a phase-out of polluting solvents, higher taxes on diesel vehicles and aviation, and a moratorium on new intensive livestock farms. It also advocates for tighter maritime emissions controls in the Mediterranean and regulated deployment of renewable energy projects. The report concludes that ozone is no longer just a seasonal concern but a persistent public health threat requiring immediate, structural action. --- *Reported by llibertat.cat, elperiodico.com.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Waste Tax Rises 6.4% in 2026](https://barna.news/waste-tax-rises-6-4-in-2026/) - [Air Pollution Linked to Higher Blood Glucose](https://barna.news/air-pollution-linked-to-higher-blood/) - [Half of Barcelona's Flood-Prone Population in Besòs Basin](https://barna.news/half-of-barcelona-s-flood-prone/) - [Updated: 600+ Experts Warn of 2027 Climate Risks in Catalonia](https://barna.news/600-experts-warn-of-2027-climate-risks/)