Air Quality Indices - Case Study: Environmental Sustainability Pillar and Romania’s Positioning in the European and Global Context

Daily exposure to ambient air pollutants harms human health and the environment. Even though in recent years air quality is a taboo subject discussed and researched by many interested areas, pollution indices often exceed the pollution norms imposed by the authorities in major European cities. In response to these environmental problems, the European Union has created a body of legislation on pollution indicators. On the other hand, World Economic Forum promote the travel tourism competitiveness index (including the pillar of environmental sustainability). The purpose of this paper is to present and analyse the indicators from the environmental sustainability pillar within TTCI (Travel and tourism competitiveness index) and the air pollution indicators, respectively the air quality standards and the pollution norms. As a short result, România exceeds at some indicators and has a lot to improve at the others (Enforcement of environmental regulations).