Balkans
Out Of The Borders
Bad Air in the Western Balkans
by Milica Velimirovic
Worryingly, poor air quality in the Western Balkans puts the region at the top of the list of
the most polluted places in Europe. Estimates from the European Environment Agency say that 30,000 people die prematurely every year due to air pollution in the Western Balkans. Air pollution leads to increased mortality, shortened life expectancy, an increase in the number of chronic diseases, as well as climate change itself.
Let’s look at when and how it all started. The The use of coal for the operation of thermal period after World War II was marked by the accelerated growth of the world economy. The increasing use of natural resources, mostly coal and oil had very negative consequences for health as well as for the environment itself. At the same time, the reconstruction of the collapsed states in the Balkans began, most of which provided their energy needs from thermal and hydro power plants.
Aerial view of the thermal © Reuters Images/Dado Ruvic power plant in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina October 18, 2021. Picture taken with a drone on October 18, 2021.
power plants has created a problem that has accumulated today. Long-term energy dependence on these energy sources in most Western Balkan countries have created a problem for today’s generations. The topic of air pollution has become a major one in this region in recent years, and citizens themselves are increasingly aware of the consequences it has.
When
it comes to environmental problems, there are often attempts to hide data on certain real situations. Whether the goal is to protect someone’s private interests or to avoid punishment, such acts often have serious repercussions both for the citizens and for the environment itself. According to the Aarhus Convention, citizens should have the right not only to be informed about environmental issues, but also to participate in the decision-making process in the directly affected regulatory area (European Commission, 2020).
33
