The Conseil d’Etat court has ordered the state to pay two new 10-million-euro fines for failing to tackle air pollution in France. Despite some progress, the country’s major cities still exceed European air quality standards, earth.org informs.

France will pay €20 million (US$19.7 million) for failing to tackle air pollution in big cities over the second half of 2021 and the first half of 2022. The order came on Monday from the country’s highest administrative court.

It is not the first time the European nation has found itself in this situation. The same court issued another €10 million fine last year for the same reason. Despite improvements since the first sanction was issued, the situation has not improved sufficiently – the Conseil d’Etat said, justifying its decision by reiterating “the seriousness of the consequences in terms of public health” and “the urgency that follows.”

In France alone, poor air quality leads to approximately 48,000 deaths every year. The situation is especially dire in France’s capital Paris, but other metropolitan areas such as Toulouse, Lyon, and Aix-Marseille also remain particularly at risk.

The main cause of air pollution in France is transportation, followed by industries and heating. The three combined make up over 95% of the nation’s carbon dioxide output, which in turn contribute to the higher levels of PM2.5 in the air.