Breathing in Niedersachsen is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 8.1 million people across 46 districts in Niedersachsen. The average PM2.5 level is 6.9 µg/m³—1.4× higher than the WHO guideline.

AboutMake Air Quality Great AgainAQLI Data

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Niedersachsen

Niedersachsen faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 8.1 million across 46 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 6.9µg/m³. That's 1.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 114 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Niedersachsen met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.19 years longer.

That's 1.5M years of life stolen from 8.1 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Niedersachsen. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Delmenhorst
    0.3 years lost
  • 2.Verden
    0.3 years lost
  • 3.Oldenburg
    0.3 years lost
  • 4.Osterholz
    0.3 years lost
  • 5.Wilhelmshaven
    0.3 years lost
  • 6.Osnabrück (Kreisfreie Stadt)
    0.3 years lost
  • 7.Diepholz
    0.2 years lost
  • 8.Wesermarsch
    0.2 years lost
  • 9.Oldenburg (Kreisfreie Stadt)
    0.2 years lost
  • 10.Vechta
    0.2 years lost
Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
100%
8.1M
10-15 µg/m³
0%
0
15-25 µg/m³
0%
0
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 46 Districts in Niedersachsen

Complete air quality data for every district in Niedersachsen, sorted by population.

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Region Hannover1.2M
6.8
0.2 years
Osnabrück366K
7.3
0.2 years
Emsland335K
7.3
0.2 years
Hildesheim278K
6.4
0.1 years
Harburg260K
6.9
0.2 years
Göttingen253K
6.3
0.1 years
Braunschweig252K
6.6
0.2 years
Diepholz221K
7.5
0.2 years
Stade209K
7.1
0.2 years
Cuxhaven203K
7.2
0.2 years
Aurich191K
6.5
0.1 years
Lüneburg187K
6.6
0.2 years
Gifhorn183K
6.5
0.2 years
Celle182K
6.5
0.2 years
Cloppenburg176K
7.3
0.2 years
Leer174K
7.0
0.2 years
Oldenburg (Kreisfreie Stadt)174K
7.5
0.2 years
Rotenburg (Wümme)167K
7.1
0.2 years
Osnabrück (Kreisfreie Stadt)167K
7.6
0.3 years
Schaumburg160K
7.0
0.2 years
Hameln-Pyrmont150K
6.6
0.2 years
Vechta147K
7.3
0.2 years
Heidekreis145K
6.7
0.2 years
Grafschaft Bentheim140K
7.2
0.2 years
Verden140K
7.7
0.3 years
Peine139K
6.5
0.1 years
Goslar136K
6.2
0.1 years
Oldenburg134K
7.6
0.3 years
Northeim133K
6.2
0.1 years
Ammerland126K
7.0
0.2 years
Nienburg (Weser)123K
7.0
0.2 years
Wolfsburg123K
6.7
0.2 years
Wolfenbüttel120K
6.5
0.1 years
Osterholz118K
7.6
0.3 years
Salzgitter105K
6.8
0.2 years
Friesland100K
6.9
0.2 years
Uelzen94K
6.5
0.1 years
Helmstedt93K
6.7
0.2 years
Wesermarsch89K
7.5
0.2 years
Delmenhorst78K
7.9
0.3 years
Wilhelmshaven76K
7.6
0.3 years
Osterode am Harz75K
6.2
0.1 years
Holzminden71K
6.2
0.1 years
Wittmund58K
6.5
0.2 years
Emden50K
6.9
0.2 years
Lüchow-Dannenberg49K
6.4
0.1 years

Showing 46 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.