Dynamic relationship between population densities and air quality in the four largest Norwegian cities

Air pollution is a significant cause of health problems and disease worldwide. Considering the rapid urbanisation at a global scale in recent decades, resulting in more and more people in urban areas, cities deserve special attention in this regard. In this paper, we use air quality measurement data from 2010 to 2023 in the four largest Norwegian cities (Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger) and correlate it with the evolution of population densities for the same period. The empirical analysis focuses on nitrogen dioxides (NO2) and particular matter (PM2.5 and PM10) as critical pollutants in urban areas to verify whether their concentrations are affected by the increase in population densities for individual municipalities. In addition, we also correlate the data on air pollutants with different natural indicators such as temperature, air pressure, humidity and wind and the rate of motorisation in the cities of interest.

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Thematic Sessions: Short Papers