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This year's theme, "The Air We Share," focuses on the transboundary nature of air pollution, emphasizing the need for collective responsibility and action. Pollution knows no borders, and locally produced pollutants affect air quality even in distant territories.

From a global point of view, the situation is not at all pleasing. Statistics from the World Health Organization show that 99% of the population is exposed to air pollution, which causes an estimated 7 million premature deaths every year. Pregnant women, children, chronically ill patients and seniors are especially sensitive to air pollution. According to the statistics of the European Environmental Agency, approximately 5,000 premature deaths occur in Slovakia. Invisible dust particles (PM2.5) penetrate deep into our lungs and bloodstream and can be responsible for diseases such as stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, asthma, lung cancer, heart attack and others.

Since 2009, in connection with exceeding the limit values ​​for health protection, Slovakia has been facing proceedings for violating the requirements of the directive on ambient air quality. On February 18, 2021, the European Commission decided to refer Slovakia's case to the Court of Justice of the EU due to poor air quality caused by high levels of dust particles (PM10).

The most significant source of air pollution with dust particles in Slovakia is the heating of households with solid fuel. The situation can also be worsened by poor dispersion conditions or places with frequent occurrence of temperature inversions in valleys, where the pollution does not have the opportunity to disperse into the surroundings and stays close to the dwellings. High concentrations of dust particles can also be measured at busy road sections, parking lots, and the influence of large industrial sources can also be felt locally.

The Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic, in cooperation with other departments, is making great efforts to solve the issue of polluted air. It is preparing a new law on air protection with more demanding requirements for state administration, local government, and operators of pollution sources. Furthermore, subsidy programs for the public have been launched to help people renovate their houses to improve their thermal insulation properties or to replace inefficient heating devices. Such programs include e.g. Green for households or the Recovery Plan, within which a subsidy mechanism for the recovery of single-family homes was introduced. On 6/9/2022, two calls for renovation of houses were published with more detailed information at this link: www.obnovdom.sk

Since January 2020, the Department of the Environment has been implementing the LIFE IP project - Improving air quality, supported by the European Union, thanks to which a national network of 15 air quality managers was created. Their task is to strengthen professional capacities at the regional and local level. At the same time, they have the task of cooperating with the state administration and the local government on air quality management and help in the creation of programs for improving air quality.

As part of the project, the website www.dnesdycham.sk was launched, where the public can follow the results of measurements from 52 air quality monitoring stations. The information is updated every hour, while the air quality level is evaluated according to the air quality index (the so-called traffic light). The Dnes Dycham mobile application is also in the final stage of development, through which it will be possible, for example, to receive notifications in case of deteriorating air conditions. Thanks to timely notification, its users will be able to adjust their daily activities depending on their health status.

Information on project activities, contacts for air quality managers and information materials on air quality for download are available at www.populair.sk

The improvement of air quality in Slovakia will inevitably depend on several changes, including a change in the attitude of individuals. The most important solution to air pollution is to move away from fossil fuels and replace them with renewable energy sources, reduce energy consumption by adopting responsible habits and using more efficient heating devices. Sustainable modes of transport, support for carpooling and public transport will also help significantly reduce air pollution. Buildings, as the country's strategic infrastructure, in which we spend most of our time, consume up to 40% of energy, and have a major impact on air pollution. A sustainable lifestyle does not come from the fact that someone wants to save the whole world with it, but rather it is about accepting personal responsibility for the state of the environment.

By the joint forces of #zamodruobolu