Greek summers are defined by deep blue skies and relentless sunshine. Yet according to the country’s lung specialists, the season also carries hazards that are easy to overlook: wildfire smoke, African dust and rising ozone, all of them a growing burden on public health.
Long term exposure to fine particulate matter known as PM2.5 is linked to an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 premature deaths in Greece every year, according to figures from the European Environment Agency and the Global Burden of Disease study cited by the Hellenic Thoracic Society, the country’s professional body for pulmonologists.
The society presented the data on June 9 as part of a new policy charter marking its 60th anniversary, which places the environment and respiratory health among its core priorities for the coming years.
Why summer is the danger season
Air pollution has traditionally been treated as a winter problem, tied to city traffic and home heating. The society’s specialists argue that climate change has reversed the pattern, with risks now peaking in the summer months.
The major fires of recent summers have shown why. The damage is not confined to the areas that burn: fine airborne particles produced by wildfires can travel long distances, affecting the health of millions of people far from the flames. African dust crossing the Mediterranean, meanwhile, has been arriving more often and with greater intensity in recent years.
Even without fires or dust, concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 particles in Greece’s large urban centers frequently exceed the limits recommended by the World Health Organization, with vehicle traffic and industrial activity adding to the load.
The health toll
What those particles do once inhaled is well documented. Air pollution, now considered the most significant environmental risk factor for public health in Europe, contributes to flare ups of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, to respiratory infections and to hospital admissions for cardiorespiratory conditions. “Chronic respiratory diseases are the sixth leading cause of death in the European Region of the World Health Organization, causing around 400,000 deaths each year,” said Stelios Loukidis, professor of pulmonology and president of the society, at the charter’s presentation.
Studies of urban populations in Greece have found that even short term spikes in particulate levels are associated with more emergency room visits and more hospital admissions, particularly among children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. And the picture is not expected to improve. Climate change is driving more frequent pollution episodes, stronger ozone presence, more wildfires and shifts in how allergens spread, the society warns.
What the specialists are asking for
The charter calls for stronger air quality monitoring, systematic publication of air quality data and the adoption of WHO guideline limits for atmospheric quality. It also proposes public information campaigns on the risks of air pollution, protection measures for vulnerable groups and the integration of health indicators into environmental policy.
As scientists warn that summers will only get hotter, the society’s message is simple: protecting the environment means protecting people’s lungs.
