Cross-border interventions to reduce air pollution and improve air quality

Air pollution – especially the periodically high levels of particulate matter – is a major challenge in the border area, as well as an important health risk to all its residents, directly leading to various illnesses, as well as to premature death.
The objective of the project, therefore, is to improve air quality by reducing pollution – especially particulate matter (PM) pollution – generated by residential heating and urban transport (the two main sources of PM) in border cities and indirectly throughout the region.
In order to meet its objectives, the project is aimed at achieving:
• Better understanding and more accurate measurement of PM pollution to enable more efficient interventions;
• Efficient and targeted interventions – including local regulations, sanctions and support schemes – to reduce using illegal materials for residential heating;
• Increased awareness of citizens to encourage the use of less polluting forms of residential heating;
• Reduced car use, more people choosing walking and cycling over cars to decrease transport-related emissions;
• Increased absorption of harmful particulate matters already emitted by trees.
As a result of the project, we expect a measurable decrease in harmful PM pollution in the target area, that will benefit all residents of the involved cities.
Innovative elements of the project include the development and deployment of digital mobile measuring tools, involving citizens in pollution data collection (“citizen science”), using real-time pollution data to guide decisions and interventions, participative tree-planting, as well as improving walkability to reduce transport related pollution.