Sharp rise in harmful ozone detected across Europe - Copernicus

With the exception of the Scandinavian Peninsula, almost all European nations were impacted by the agency's June 9 forecast of elevated ozone concentrations throughout the Mediterranean region. Greater ozone levels are typical during summer, but experts point out that this year's episode's intensity and early timing are unique and probably related to recent temperature increases.

“Increases in temperatures are one of the main factors explaining ground level ozone concentrations increase. Ozone results from photochemical reactions that transform pollutants emitted by human activities and natural sources. Long range transport of this pollutant plays an important role as well,” Laurence Rouil, Director of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, said.

Ozone levels in some regions have already exceeded the thresholds established by the European Union's Ambient Air Quality Directive, which attempts to safeguard public health, according to CAMS.

“CAMS provides Europe with the best available tools to monitor and forecast the evolution of these episodes and provide timely alerts, which are essential for implementing agile and appropriate measures to mitigate health risks and environmental impacts,” Rouil added.

Earlier, Kazinform reported that May 2025 has been ranked as the second-warmest on record globally.