Although some cities struggle with smog, Poland is one of the cleanest countries in the EU, according to a Eurostat study. Only 7.1 percent of the population complains about pollution, dirt, or environmental problems.

The findings are notable considering Poland is the EU country most reliant on coal for energy production, a fossil fuel typically associated with pollution and smog. Germany follows in second place in terms of consuming coal. In 2024, both countries accounted for two-thirds of total coal consumption for the entire EU.

While Poland and Germany consume the most coal of all EU countries, coal consumption has also dipped dramatically in both countries over the last few years.

Eurostat surveyed how many EU residents complain that pollution or environmental problems affect their households. The EU average is 12.2 percent, while in Poland, the figure is a mere 7.1 percent.

There are countries that performed much better in the survey than Poland, however, including Croatia (4.2 percent), Sweden (5 percent) and Slovakia (5.8 percent).

Compared to Poland, many countries are faring much worse, including Malta (almost 35 percent), Greece (over 20 percent) and Germany (almost 17 percent).

The study’s authors emphasize the overall decline in EU residents who complain that environmental problems affect their farms. In the 2019 survey, this figure was over 15 percent.

The study also shows that households’ exposure to pollution depends on where they live. Residents of rural areas complained the least (6.8 percent of responses), while those living in large cities complained the most (17.2 percent of responses).