Environmental noise, an often underestimated pollutant, poses a significant and growing environmental and public health risk in Europe. Although its impact is usually associated with human health, recent findings from the EEA The report “Environmental noise in Europe — 2025” also highlights its harmful impacts on biodiversity and ecosystemsFurthermore, it shows that noise reduction efforts can be strategically linked to policies aimed at climate change and broader environmental protection, which brings synergistic benefits for both the planet and people.

The impact of noise on biodiversity

Noise pollution has widespread impacts on both terrestrial and marine wildlife. It affects their behavior, physiology, communication, and sensory perception. It can disrupt predator-prey dynamics and ecosystem functions, including insect pollination and plant reproduction.

• Terrestrial ecosystems: Noise from traffic – from roads, railways and aircraft – alters animal behaviour, affecting foraging, mating and territorial behaviour. Chronic exposure to noise induces physiological stress, leading to increased heart rate, hormonal imbalances and a weakened immune system. Animals may avoid suitable habitats, which alters their distribution and potentially affects survival and reproductive success. For example, a study in Amsterdam found that noise pollution was the most consistent factor reducing bird predation, which led to birds avoiding noisy areas and reducing their foraging efficiency.
• Marine ecosystems: Underwater noise, particularly from shipping, coastal construction and marine exploration, disrupts marine life, causing stress and behavioural changes in sound-dependent species such as whales and dolphins. It can affect the navigation of fish and coral larvae, disrupt predator-prey interactions. Noise can also cause physical harm, such as barotrauma and tissue damage in fish and shellfish, and even affect aquatic plants such as seagrasses. In Norway, for example, research has found that increased noise from ships and seismic air guns disrupts whales’ feeding and communication.

The European network of protected areas, Natura 2000, which is the EU's flagship biodiversity initiative, is significantly affected by noise. The assessment showed that at least 29 % of the total Natura 2000 area is exposed to levels of traffic noise that could have a negative impact on terrestrial wildlifeOnly 30% of these protected areas can be classified as quiet.

Synergies with climate and environmental policies

Reducing noise pollution offers a valuable opportunity to align and reinforce the objectives of several EU policy areas. Traffic noise acts in combination with other environmental stressors such as air pollution and climate change.

• Decarbonization and air pollution: Efforts to decarbonize cities and reduce pollution – through active mobility and investments in walking, cycling and public transport – can deliver significant reduction in urban noise, especially in densely populated areas. Noise reduction can be an important benefit of measures taken in the areas of air quality and climate policy. For example, the LIFE PortSounds project, aimed at reducing underwater noise in the port of Cartagena, also expects to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX) and sulphur oxides (SOX) by reducing vessel speeds.
• Restoration of nature and green spaces: The EU Biodiversity Strategy and the Nature Restoration Regulation present opportunities to reduce noise exposure. Creating and restoring green and blue spaces – such as urban forests, wetlands, parks and green corridors – not only improves ecological resilience, but also increases the potential availability of quiet areas for recreation and renewal. These spaces serve as natural barriers against noise and at the same time contribute to adaptation to climate change.

Policy initiatives and opportunities

The EU is committed to strengthening the legislative and regulatory framework for traffic noise. Environmental Noise Directive (END) serves as the primary legal framework for the assessment and management of environmental noise, although it primarily focuses on human health impacts. Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) addresses underwater radiated noise (URN) by setting limit values and requiring monitoring of its adverse effects in European waters. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has also updated its guidelines for reducing URN. New projects such as AquaPLAN and PLAN-B are being funded by the EU to quantify the combined impacts of light and noise pollution on biodiversity.

Reducing noise exposure in Europe requires better implementation of existing legislation, better coordination between levels of governance, increased public and political engagement, and greater investment in mitigation measures. Strategic urban planning, which includes preventive measures such as buffer zones and the promotion of sustainable mobility options, can significantly reduce future noise impacts and create a healthier, quieter environment.

Conclusions messages The EEA repeatedly stresses that noise pollution is an urgent environmental problem that requires urgent and coordinated measures at European, national and local level. By exploiting synergies between environment, climate, transport and nature policies, it is possible to achieve significant improvements in noise reduction, biodiversity protection and support for a more sustainable future. Spring

Glossary of key terms

• Agromerations: Urbanised areas with a population exceeding 100 000 inhabitants and a population density considered by the Member State to be an urbanised area.
• Anthropogenic noise: Noise generated by human activity.
• Brexit: Reference to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, which affects the terminology used in the report (e.g. "EU-27 and the United Kingdom").
• Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0): A license that allows free reuse, free of charge, for commercial or non-commercial purposes, provided the source is cited and the original meaning is preserved.
• DALYs (Disability-Adjusted Life Years): A disease burden measure that quantifies the impact of mortality and morbidity. It represents one year of healthy life lost.
• dB (Decibels): A logarithmic unit used to measure sound intensity.
• DW (Disability Weight): A weight assigned to a health outcome based on its severity, from 0 (perfect health) to 1 (death), used to calculate YLD.
• EEA-32: 32 EEA member countries: 27 EU Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
• EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index): A maritime measure for energy efficiency that may be aligned with URN reduction targets in the future.
• END (Environmental Noise Directive): EU Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise, which sets noise thresholds and mapping requirements.
• HRA (Health Risk Assessment): Health risk assessment, a methodology used to quantify the health impacts of environmental noise.
• Lden (Day-Evening-Night Noise Level): A noise indicator that measures average noise levels over a 24-hour period, taking into account higher noise sensitivity in the evening and at night. The END threshold is 55 dB.
• Lnight (Night Noise Level): A noise indicator that measures average noise levels during the night period (usually from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.). The END threshold is 50 dB.
• Masking effect: The effect when one noise covers or reduces the ability to hear other sounds.
• MSFD (Marine Strategy Framework Directive): EU Directive establishing a framework for Community action in the field of marine environmental policy, including threshold values for underwater noise.
• Zero noise pollution: The EU's 2030 target aims to reduce the number of people "chronically disturbed by noise".
• SPL (Sound Pressure Level): Sound pressure level, a measure of sound intensity, often measured in decibels (dB).
• URN (Underwater Radiated Noise): Noise emitted underwater, especially from traffic and industrial activities, which affects marine life.
• WHO (World Health Organization): The World Health Organization, which issues recommendations for environmental noise thresholds that are stricter than the END thresholds.
• YLD (Years Lived with Disability): The number of years spent living with a disease or disability that affects quality of life.
• YLL (Years of Life Lost): Number of years lost due to premature death caused by disease