Policy Brief: The Unheard Crisis. Environmental Noise and Health in Cities

A new briefing from the UBDPolicy project shows how noise pollution impacts health, a key issue in cities. Noise pollution is the second largest environmental risk to health in Europe after air pollution, yet it is not high on the policy agenda. The European Environment Agency (EEA) estimates that at least 20% of the EU population is exposed to unhealthy noise levels in the long term.

In cities, there are various sources of noise, with road traffic noise being the most widespread and impactful. The briefing explains the health impacts of noise on urban residents, and also provides an overview of current policies in place to address noise, as well as recommendations for improvements.

Read the document here.