Air quality policy in the U.S. and the EU – a review

The high level of atmospheric pollution is a global problem that has taken on particular significance in recent years and will continue to grow in the near future. Air pollution directly affects the health, living organisms, vegetation, water, soil and buildings. Additionally, it moves easily even over long distances. Certain air pollutants influence the climate, cause negative processes in the protective ozone layer and contribute to the greenhouse effect. Therefore it is important to protect the air by taking actions to ensure its best possible quality. In this paper, the development of air quality policies in the United States of America and European Union was analyzed and it was shown how these legislations were implemented and also the air quality policies in these states were compared. Although the U.S. and EU have achieved significant improvements in air quality, the area of air quality management in both regions still requires a more integrated and ambitious approach.