“Explains the constant air quality alerts over there”
Nonsense! Air quality in rich countries is better now than ever before and is constantly improving, just look at any long term (eg more than 10 years) data series.
It has not been a problem for generations simply because of the inconvenient facts that life expectancy continues to increase and is the highest in so-called polluted big cities like Paris or London.
Air quality alerts exist now only because of stupid and anti-scientific regulations constantly lowering alert thresholds. It’s all a scare-based scam feeding a whole lot of fear merchants and parasites.