Why Air Quality is Currently So Poor

Anyone looking at air quality maps this spring, and even in recent days, will see alarm colors in many places: in many regions of Germany, the air is currently classified as significantly polluted – primarily due to high levels of particulate matter (PM10/PM2.5). Media outlets are reporting on a smog situation that can persist regionally for days. A central driver: a weather condition that acts like a lid.

Weather as a “Lid”: How an Inversion Layer Affects Particulate Matter

An inversion weather pattern is currently exacerbating the situation: warmer air layers sit above colder air masses near the ground, which inhibits vertical air exchange and traps pollutants close to the surface. This is precisely what FOCUS Online describes: “Currently, an inversion weather situation is contributing to pollutants accumulating near the ground”. Last year, the Berliner Zeitung, among others, warned of the “Worst fine dust alarm in years!”

Particulate matter is a “mix” of particles from various sources – “soot from traffic and industry, tire and brake wear, resuspended dust, as well as secondary particles that only form in the atmosphere from gases such as nitrogen oxides or ammonia”.

Photo: Berliner Zeitung in 2025

When Pollen Further Increases the Burden

In certain regions, natural factors are added to the classic sources of pollutants: Currently, pollen flight can also aggravate the situation and further intensify the burden. This is because “natural components such as pollen or Saharan dust also increase the concentration of particulate matter”.

Higher Emissions in Winter: Heating, Traffic and “Stagnant Air”

The burden often increases during the cold season because heating requirements rise and overall emissions grow. Deutschlandfunk Nova summarized this at the beginning of the year, when particulate matter levels were also high: “Increased heating causes more pollutants to enter the air. During certain weather conditions, the air stagnates over the cities.”

When wind is absent and no rain “cleanses” the atmosphere, sources such as road traffic, stoves, and industry add up – and the particles remain longer in the air we breathe.

The pattern is familiar: we already reported on the “Dirty Air Alert” in 2025: Read more in “Warning Level Red“.

Photo: Jaanus Jagomägi from Unsplash

Why Particulate Matter is More Than “Just Bad Air”

High particulate matter levels are particularly relevant for people with pre-existing conditions – both in the short term (symptoms) and the long term (risks). In 2025, meteorologist Dominik Jung warned “‘Lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes, respiratory diseases – all of these are promoted by persistently high particulate matter pollution. Fine dust is especially dangerous for children'” .

In an interview with FOCUS Online, environmental physician Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann explained that the particles trigger inflammatory reactions and can worsen existing health issues.

She provides concrete, practical – but short-term – behavioral tips for days with high levels. From a health perspective, the goal on “Red” days is primarily to reduce personal exposure. Traidl-Hoffmann advises, among other things, reducing physical exertion outdoors, avoiding heavily trafficked roads, intermittent ventilation (shock ventilation) instead of keeping windows permanently tilted, avoiding candles, incense sticks, and fireplaces and, in emergencies, wearing masks for those with increased vulnerability.

Meteorologically, relief is often in sight as soon as a front arrives with wind and precipitation: “Rain washes particulate matter and pollen out of the air, while the wind ensures better mixing of the air layers”.

Photo: Anastasia Nelen from Unsplash

And in the Long Term? Nature-Based Solutions!

These episodes (and others) demonstrate that air quality is not exclusively a weather issue, but a question of urban planning and infrastructure. Last year, Dominik Jung commented: The „[…] actual solutions lies in politics […] [.] Stricter emission standards, less traffic, and cleaner heating methods are necessary in the long term to prevent such particulate matter crises.” Such a situation shows: “Germany has a massive air problem”.

n addition to emission reduction (traffic, heating, industry), measures are needed that work locally – where people live, work and move.

Nature-based, modular approaches can help make urban spaces more resilient: acting as local “fresh air islands” that filter pollutants from the air and contribute to improving the microclimate. Natural solutions are the key to a sustainable and livable future: Combating air pollution and mitigating the effects of temperature extremes require comprehensive and innovative approaches and avoidance strategies.

Photo: GCS

In 2025, our CEO and Co-Founder Peter Sänger commented: “At our moss filter systems, we were able to detect significantly higher values for PM10 and PM2.5 across the board”. “Our mosses were able to filter a portion directly; especifically, emission peaks can be dampened locally this way. Our mosses do this even in winter. Particulate matter is unhealthy and has been proven to cause illness – so everyone benefits when levels are kept as low as possible permanently. However, there is still much to be done . Days like these, with alarms and deep red maps, remind us that air pollution is still a critical issue”, he added.

Now is the right moment to consider air quality as an integral part of urban development and climate adaptation – with measures that work locally and deliver rapid, measurable results.

Source: GCS