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The United Nations has declared the Interantional Day of Clean Air on September 7. On this day, Member States are drawing attention to measures to improve air quality. This year's motto of the campaign is "Healthy air, a healthy planet". The Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic is responding to the deteriorating air quality with the prepared changes in legislation, financial instruments to support the improvement of air quality and awareness raising activities.

September 7 belongs to the air. The United Nations has declared this date as the International Day of Clean Air. On this day, Member States are drawing attention to the measures taken to improve air quality. This year's motto of the UN campaign is "Healthy air, a healthy planet".

Exactly in one week, on September 7th, 2021, the international conference Effective Air Quality Management will start in Banská Bystrica. The event is organized by the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic in cooperation with the Slovak Environment Agency within the LIFE IP – Air Quality Improvement project.

The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMI) is currently installing new automatic monitoring stations (AMS) in localities not yet covered by monitoring as part of the project Improving the National Air Quality Monitoring Network.

The Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Environment Agency are organizing an international conference Effective Air Quality Management 2021 on September 7 - 8, 2021, focusing on possibilities and tools to support the improvement of air quality in Slovakia. The event, intended primarily for representatives of state and local authorities, will take place in Banská Bystrica, at the Dixon Hotel.

The integrated LIFE IP – Air Quality Improvement project will be expanded by new partners, the Bratislava Self-Governing Region (BSK) and the Center for Sustainable Alternatives (CEPTA). The accession of new partners was decided by the project steering committee, which represents the participating institutions.

In connection with strict measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, reports of significant improvements in air quality spread around the world last year. The reason for the decrease in concentrations of nitrogen dioxide in the air was mainly due to the restriction in mobility. However, with the relaxation of measures, air quality is returning to the old ways. This is evidenced by footage from the Copernicus program.

The aim of the LIFE IP – Air Quality Improvement project  is to improve the implementation of programs to improve air quality in Slovakia. In this context, the positions of regional air quality managers have been established, who are currently working with representatives of state and local authorities to prepare new air quality management plans.

In connection with the gradual relaxation of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, mass school opening is long awaited. However, in addition to the risk of coronavirus infection, pupils and students may face an "old-new" threat in the form of poor air quality when they start school.

The European Recovery Plan will bring Slovakia additional investments worth almost 6 billion euros in the green economy, health, education, science and research, as well as public administration and digitization. Slovakia will receive one billion euros from the Recovery Plan to improve the environment and human health.