The Blackened Lungs of Europe: The Dark Truth Behind Air Quality in the Balkans

Air pollution is a serious threat to the states of the Balkan region. Balkan cities are regularly some of the most polluted in the world. They produce levels of pollutants that exceed the limits set by the World Health Organization’s air quality guidelines and the European Union’s legislation on air quality. In certain cities, it becomes so bad that the pollution can be seen, smelled, and even tasted. In a December 2019 report, Serbia was accused of having Europe’s worst per capita record for pollution-related deaths, with 175 deaths per 100,000 people. The development of the Western Balkan region and the well-being of its residents is at risk. 

The main source of air pollution in the Balkan region is the heating of buildings and homes and out-of-date motor vehicles. The region is notorious for using coal and wood energy sources, which release greenhouse gases and degrade the air quality. The pollution is especially bad during the winter season when constant heating is necessary. Just sixteen coal-based power plants in the South-Eastern region of Europe release more pollution than those in the rest of the continent combined, according to a report by the Health and Environmental Alliance. 

The low air quality in the Western Balkans remains the main environmental risk factor for the public. The emissions from airborne particulate matter (PM) can be inhaled if it has a diameter of fewer than 10 microns, and PM 2.5 matter is especially lethal. In Serbia, 3600 premature deaths are blamed on the exposure of PM 2.5 matter.  In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the estimate is 3300 premature deaths and in North Macedonia, the estimate is 1600 deaths. Overall, life expectancy is shortened by 0.4 to 1.3 years in the region, according to the Joint Research Centre of the European Union. 

While emissions related to heating, electricity, and industry have fallen by up to 20% in some Western and Central European countries, the West Balkan region lags behind. The people most affected tend to be on the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder. They typically reside and work in areas that are hit hardest by the pollution levels. 

The risk factors that low air quality poses are intensified in the underdeveloped economies and healthcare systems of the region. The pollution has large economic costs, with the coal-powered plants estimated to produce a healthcare cost of 1.2 to 3.4 billion euros in the Western Balkan region. 

When the cold winter months pass and the region finally takes a break from heating, forest fires prosper in the hot and dry climates. Wildfires release greenhouse gases, large levels of smoke, and various pollutants into the air. A recent study found that particles from wildfires remain in the air and increase in toxicity over time. The biggest risk is the vicious cycle that forms. The fires release harmful gases that raise global temperatures, which leads to even more fires. The fires pollute the air, which in turn dries the forests, creating a harmful feedback loop. The month of July was the second-hottest ever recorded in Europe, and the EU had to conduct one of Europe's largest firefighting operations in the Balkan region. Temperatures are expected to continue rising in the future, creating an environment for forest fires to prosper. 

Authorities release vague information and are often accused of manipulating data. The governments continue to make environmentally-harmful agreements, as seen in Serbia, where authorities plan to build on one of the few forests in the capital, Kosutnjak. Grassroots protests have become the main instrument for creating change. The United Balkans for Clean Air campaign was started last year and is just one example of the population raising awareness of the environmental degradations that are occurring. The various protest groups in the region aim to build pressure on the government to change its policies, hoping for a greener future - a future where you can breathe deeply without worry. Despite public outcries, the governments fail to take action, a cycle just as gloomy as the forest fire feedback loop.

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