Hundreds of thousands of people die each year in Europe to air pollution, say epidemiologists. In some countries, it is to breathe more dangerous than others. That’s about to change, as for example in Poland.
“Smog is very tangible. You can see him you can smell him,” said Andrzej Gula, of the DW. “The people in Krakow joking, that one can bite him.” The kraków try to take it with Humor, even if the air pollution life may cost several Thousand people in Poland every year.
For Gula there are only two options, like you can with the filthy air deal: you either pulls away or becomes active. He has opted for the latter. For the past six years, he now fights with the citizens group of the Polish Smog Alert, the Polish Smog alert, air pollution in the second largest city in the country.
For many poles, the Check of the Smogwerte is now part of the everyday life, as well as the Wearing of respiratory protection masks. On some days, is recommended for children and older people to remain at home – outside, take a deep breath, then, is to dangerous. There may be headache, dizziness, and shortness of breath threatens not only the long-term effects, such as respiratory diseases and heart problems.
The worst time of the year in Poland. In Winter, the Smog increases dramatically, as a lot of people heating with the traditional wood and coal. In the winter months, the clothes, the people stink of Smog, says Gula. He compares the dirty air, the inhalation of people Smoking. Who lives in Krakow, and breathe each year, as many pollutants as if he would smoke to 3,000 cigarettes, appreciate activists.
Great A Health Hazard
But the poles are not the only ones who have to fight with air pollution. Worldwide, billions of people breathe in every day toxic air. The world health organization (WHO) estimates that 7 million people in 2016, have died of air pollution. More than 90 percent of the children have to breath, therefore the toxic air. In Europe, by 2015, about half a Million people had died prematurely from the effects of air pollution, calculated by the European environment Agency (EEA).
An increased fine dust pollution is particularly dangerous for the health, since the microscope can penetrate small particles to the deep lung. Although the number of early deaths from pollution caused by air in the past three decades has steadily decreased, remain the pollutant values are still dangerous and illegal. It is already much better than in the past: in 1990, high pollutant loads were almost twice as many deaths as it is today. But still, around 90 percent of Europeans living in cities, the health breathing in harmful air, the sea. Air pollution remains the biggest threat to health in Europe.
In the air, more pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides, ozone, and ammonia, emitted by industry, road transport, agriculture and the heaters out in addition to fine dust. While in almost all areas, pollutants have been reduced, the ammonia emissions in agriculture. About Alberto González of the European environment Agency are particularly concerned. Because, if the gaseous ammonia enters the atmosphere with other pollutants from vehicle exhaust gases reacts, a new fine dust, the deadliest pollutant for humans.
Around 94 percent of the ammonia emissions in the European Union in the agriculture sector, in particular in animal husbandry. In agriculture have taken place since 1990, no major emissions reductions. “It is very important that we are finally active in agriculture, to fight against the air pollution,” said González of the DW.
Where in Europe is it to breathe?
Not everywhere in Europe, the air is equally bad. Generally, the pollutant levels in Central and Eastern Europe is higher than in the Rest of the EU. Bulgaria has the worst air quality and most early death is one of the cases due to air pollution. Reason for this is mainly particulate matter emissions from heaters, González says.
More deaths due to pollution here: caution in epidemiological studies
and here: epidemiologist: deaths are estimated
Poland, hosts of this year’s climate change conference in December, following Bulgaria in the list of European countries with the worst air quality. Air pollution kills around 45,000 people each year in Poland, experts estimate. According to the WHO, 33 of the 50 dirtiest cities in Europe in the last year in Poland. One of these cities of Katowice, where the climate conference will take place. In Poland, coal – and wood-fired heaters of the main causes for the Smog and fine dust emissions.
Germany ranges in the middle. When all data are combined, the Federal Republic of Germany, the annual EU limit values for fine dust. But especially in cities the air is often significantly worse. In Stuttgart, for example 64,40 micro-fine grams of dust per cubic meter of air is measured, the legal limit is 50 micrograms.
Norway is the only country in the EU, in the air is even consistently cleaner than required by the WHO, the stricter limit values than the EU. Norway’s green strategy, such as the promotion of clean vehicles, pays for itself.
Poland will exchange dirty heaters
In some countries, the realization of how dangerous pollutant-Laden air is growing in the population. Also in Poland the issue of air pollution is making more and more headlines, thanks to campaigns from activists such as Gula in Krakow. At the same time pressure from the EU has helped to rethink, says Przemyslaw Hofman, head of the Department in the area of low-emission economy in Poland Ministry of entrepreneurship and technology.
The Polish government now wants to do something for better air and has not banned the sale of heating baths, which conform to the emission standards. For this, they provides 25 billion euros within the next ten years, so that poorer residents will be able to exchange your old heaters with newer, cleaner heating systems.
Regional governments are already a step further. In Krakow, most of the coal heaters were replaced by lower-emission Alternatives such as gas heaters. Krakow will soon ban as the first city in Poland the use of wood and coal completely.
At the EU level, a package of measures for clean air in 2013 for improvement. By 2030, air pollution will be reduced significantly and the number of premature deaths can be halved. This is only possible if all countries keep to the targets. After that, it is not, however, in many member States at the moment. In may, the EU has sued the Commission, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Hungary and Romania because of bad air in the cities.
-
The plan of five German cities for better airFaster with the bike on the road
As in Copenhagen, Reutlingen, and eat fast cycle plan routes through the city. The Expansion of the Bicycle road network is “long overdue,” says expert Christian hochfeld of the Agora-traffic turning. “We realize that people require on a bike, but the public space is not distributed in a fair way: Just Park Cars is given a lot of space.”
-
The plan of five German cities for better airCheap from A to B
Four out of five cities put on cheap transport. In Bonn and Reutlingen, there should be climate-year tickets, following the model of Vienna for 365 Euro, so for 1 Euro per day. Mannheim and Mr mountain price reductions for single-plan, Multi – trip and time cards. Consent of expert-high field: “Cheaper public TRANSPORT is the right way forward, however, the quality needs to be saved anyway.”
-
The plan of five German cities for better airLess time to wait
How nice it is, if you go to the bus stop and zack, comes the next Bus. So public transport is fun. Bonn wants to condense, therefore, many bus lines and the clock, so that the waiting times at bus stops are shorter. Analog plan Reutlingen and eat. High-field: “time compression is an absolute requirement that people in the inner cities require on the public TRANSPORT.”
-
The plan of five German cities for better airMore Bus Stops
We all know that the bus stop Is too far away from the apartment, or not close enough to the destination, it is, perhaps, rather to the car. Therefore, Reutlingen, Germany, is planning a new bus network with ten new bus lines and one hundred (!) new stops.
-
The plan of five German cities for better airNo Waiting for buses
Additional bus lanes are to animate in Herrenberg people to take the bus: In the Bus you will be driving then all of the waiting cars and be happy. Also, green circuits, buses are a means. “The result is that people perceive public TRANSPORT as a faster and more convenient,” commented high-field. “If 40 people sitting in the Bus, should have the precedence over a single human in the Car.”
-
The plan of five German cities for better airGreen Wave
Stop-and-Go is not only a strain for the nerves of the motorists, but also for the environment. When Starting a car consumes much Fuel and emits a lot of exhaust gases. Mr. mountain plans to a dynamic control of traffic lights so that motorists can ride the green wave. Instead of the seconds to the next Red light to be displayed, how many km/h free travel.
-
The plan of five German cities for better airPackages come with the E-Bike
Mannheim built a “Micro-Hub”: an envelope of space, on the packages from the truck on E-Bikes will be loaded. This means less delivery trucks to drive into the city centre. “A good addition,” says Christian hochfeld. However, “we Want to continue to allow people to order the smallest units online that are then delivered one by one?” Here, the expert sees pent-up demand.
-
The plan of five German cities for better airHybrid buses
In Cologne and many other cities, they are already driving around: hybrid buses to reduce harmful emissions. Mannheim now want to procure low-emission Euro 6 hybrid buses for the city centre. Especially cyclists who often have to drive behind buses, will be pleased.
-
The plan of five German cities for better airGo digital
No use against gases, but it is good for cool image of Bus and rail: Many German cities already offer Apps very quickly and paperless e-tickets for the public transport buy. Mannheim wants to expand the e-ticket now. Mr. Berg is planning a city-Mobility-App, including rental bicycles and car-sharing easier to organise.
Irene Banos, Ruiz travel costs to Poland were taken over by Clean Energy Wire and Forum Energii.