Editing Lombardy (section)

===Pollution===
Lombardy is one of the most air-polluted areas of Europe.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Air pollution exposure, cause-specific deaths and hospitalizations in a highly polluted Italian region|year=2016|doi=10.1016/j.envres.2016.03.003|last1=Carugno|first1=Michele|last2=Consonni|first2=Dario|last3=Randi|first3=Giorgia|last4=Catelan|first4=Dolores|last5=Grisotto|first5=Laura|last6=Bertazzi|first6=Pier Alberto|last7=Biggeri|first7=Annibale|last8=Baccini|first8=Michela|journal=Environmental Research|volume=147|pages=415–424|pmid=26969808|bibcode=2016ER....147..415C|s2cid=22664973 |doi-access=free|hdl=2434/504866|hdl-access=free}}</ref> Because of high levels of industrialisation and the lack of wind due to the region being enclosed between mountain ranges, air pollution remains a severe problem in Lombardy and northern Italy.

In March 2019, the [[European Space Agency]] (ESA)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2019/05/Nitrogen_dioxide_over_northern_Italy|title=Nitrogen dioxide over northern Italy|access-date=28 January 2021}}</ref> published images taken from its satellites, showing a large stain composed of [[nitrogen dioxide]] and fine particles above the Po Valley area. Lombardy is the geographic and economic centre of this area, with more than 10 million residents and the highest GRP per inhabitant in the country. Most of its major cities are located in the Po River  basin, which crosses the region. The stain analysed by ESA is the main reason Po Valley air pollution levels are so high. Milan also has high levels of [[ozone]] and [[nitrogen oxides]], which are mainly produced by diesel and petrol engines in cars.

According to the [[Chicago Energy Policy Institute]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aqli.epic.uchicago.edu/news/air-pollution-hotspots-in-europe/|title=Air pollution hotspots in Europe|access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref> which has recently developed the [[Air Quality Life Index]] (AQLI), Po Valley air pollution reduces life expectancy by approximately six months. Air pollution in the Po Valley is linked to livestock and factories. The use of [[NPK fertilizer]]s, composed of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, along with manure emissions from intensive breeding and high levels of nitrogen dioxide released by diesel and petrol engines are all contributing factors to pollution in Northern Italy. Lombardy also produces vast amounts of animal waste, a significant contributor to pollution. Lombardy produces more than 40% of Italy's milk, and over half of the Italian pig production is located in the Po Valley.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://phys.org/news/2019-02-italy-polluted-po-valley-gasps.html|title=Italy's polluted Po Valley gasps for fresh air|access-date=31 January 2021}}</ref>

According to research published in [[The Lancet Planetary Health]],<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Premature mortality due to air pollution in European cities: a health impact assessment|year=2021 |pmid=33482109 |last1=Khomenko |first1=S. |last2=Cirach |first2=M. |last3=Pereira-Barboza |first3=E. |last4=Mueller |first4=N. |last5=Barrera-Gómez |first5=J. |last6=Rojas-Rueda |first6=D. |last7=De Hoogh |first7=K. |last8=Hoek |first8=G. |last9=Nieuwenhuijsen |first9=M. |journal=The Lancet. Planetary Health |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=e121–e134 |doi=10.1016/S2542-5196(20)30272-2 |s2cid=231687871 |doi-access=free |hdl=10230/53387 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> in January 2021, Brescia and Bergamo had the highest death rate from [[fine particulate matter]] (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) in Europe.

The data show that many cities in Lombardy and the Po Valley suffer from the most serious impact of poor air quality in Europe, primarily the metropolitan area of Milan, which ranks 13th in terms of fine particulate impact, with an annual premature death rate of 3,967, accounting for approximately 9% of the total.