Premature deaths caused by fine particle air pollution have seen a decrease of 10% annually across Europe; however, it still prematurely killed 307,000 people a year, the European Environment Agency said Monday.

Had EU member states followed the latest WHO guidelines on air quality, the latest number of deaths recorded in 2019 could have been cut in half, the EEA report said.

Heart diseases and strokes blamed on air pollution cause most premature deaths, followed by lung ailments including cancer.

In children, atmospheric pollution can harm lung development, cause respiratory infections, and aggravate asthma, all of which could potentially lead to premature deaths.

The EEA warned in September that most EU countries were above the recommended pollution limits, be they European guidelines or WHO targets.

According to the UN health body, air pollution causes seven million premature deaths annually across the globe, putting it on the same levels as smoking and poor diet.

The EU wants to slash premature deaths due to fine air pollution by at least 55% in 2030 compared to 2005, during which nearly 450,000 died.

If air pollution continues to fall at the current rate, the agency estimates the target will be reached by 2032, two years late from their goal; however, an aging and increasingly urbanized population could make that more difficult, as both characteristics apply to Europe.