World Environment Day 2019 is issuing a call to action to combat air pollution. This theme invites us all to consider how we can reduce our own emissions and the dangerous effects of air pollution on our health.
Bosnia and Herzegovina faces a wide range of air quality challenges. The country’s residents are exposed to some of the highest levels of air pollution in Europe, which are caused by various emission sources and geographic conditions. Preliminary results from a UN Environment report suggest that on average, people living in the Western Balkans lose up to 1.3 years of life to air pollution. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is currently implementing a 3-year, 3.8 million Euro project (IMPAQ) to improve air quality and air quality management in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
To mark World Environment Day the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, together with UNEP, met with journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina to talk about air pollution and how journalists and other influencers can communicate this issue to the general public.
Activities
Jurnalists visited a school in Sarajevo and listened to children’s perspectives on air pollution and other environmental concerns like climate change and other forms of pollution. The importance of limiting the exposure to air pollution by wearing masks was obvious for the children. Many of them used masks on their way to school during winter months. - Last winter when it was snowing, and we wanted to go out and play, we were not allowed since the pollution was so high, said Sarah Kaidić, 9 year old.
Journalists also met with pulmonologist and allergologist Zehra Dizdarević, who treats patients for lower and upper respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and pneumonia. - Air pollution, observed in the largest industrial cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last few years, inevitably leads to an increase in patients with pulmonary diseases, says Zehra Dizdarevic.
The visits ended in the laboratory of the Hydro-Meteorological Institute in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina where experts explained the various pollutants in the air and how they are measured. Air quality expert Enis Omeric pointed out that they are making improvements to their current air quality measurement system so that they can report real time data. This has been achieved through a collaboration between the Sweden´s Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) as part of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s IMPAQ project
Learn more about the IMPAQ project
Contact: Sarah Barnekow, sarah.barnekow@naturvardsverket.se