“Brace yourself. Winter is coming.”

When Ned Stark utters this famous sentence at the very beginning of the Game of Thrones, he announces the coming danger, uncertainty, fear of the White Walkers, death, and everything that comes with Winter in Winterfell and scares the Northerners.

We, however, do not live in Winterfell. And we do not have to, like the Northerners, fear the coming winter. We all, surely, have nicer associations when we think of winter - white snowflakes, wool gloves, crackling fires, warm teas and even warmer hugs, holidays and winter joys. Still, is winter a safe season for us, the citizens of the 6 countries of the Western Balkans, or should we be afraid of it, as well as the inhabitants of the 7 kingdoms of Westeros? While in Westeros winter brings the Night King and the army of the dead, in the Western Balkans, winter means: coal, fuel oil, logs, uncleaned chimneys and outdated boilers, the smell of garage air, breathing problems and heavy, long-lasting smog that presses thoughts and lungs, sometimes for days. Although there are no White Walkers, there are still victims. We mostly think of air during the winter months. During this period, Serbia and other Western Balkan countries became champions of the European continent. They break boundaries and set records. In air pollution, admittedly, but still.

According to the latest United Nations report, published in the summer of 2019, air pollution in the Western Balkan countries exceeds legally permitted and health-safe standards by up to 5 times. FIVE times. Champion's. As a result, the citizens of the Western Balkans live on average 1.3 years shorter. That doesn't sound like much, as long as it's just a number. Imagine now that it is life of your grandmother, mother or even yourself. Does 1.3 years of age still sound small to you? Due to air pollution in the Balkans, people die not only earlier but more often. They say - every fifth premature death is due to air pollution. The World Health Organization estimates that in 2016, over 11,400 premature deaths occurred in Serbia due to air pollution. So the whole smaller town -  is gone. It was not burned by Drogon, Regal or Vizerion, but quite ordinary air. In addition to premature deaths, the consequences of such high levels of air pollution are various types of chronic diseases, reduced productivity, and generally - reduced quality of life for citizens. All this costs the citizens of Serbia and has an impact on the economy of the whole country. The World Health Organization, the OSCE and the European Union estimated that in 2010, the cost of premature deaths due to air pollution was as high as 33% of Serbia's gross domestic product. ONE THIRD. In 2016, health care costs related to treating the effects of air pollution reached € 4 billion. BILLIONS.

The European Commission and European Parliament have also warned of alarmingly high levels of air pollution to which citizens of Serbia and other Western Balkan countries are exposed. And they ask our authorities to improve the air quality monitoring system, improve the availability, quality and accessibility of air quality information, to establish instruments for improving air quality such as local plans and national strategies. What did the authorities do from all this? Something is done. But not much, according to the latest report from the European Commission, which says that Serbia has made limited progress in environmental protection. There is still no air protection strategy, and only a few cities have made mandatory air quality plans. Implementation of plans - no data available. The energy community, of which Serbia is a member, also adopts air quality standards that we have committed ourselves to reach. But we are not even the brightest here.

In addition to being exposed to air pollution, Serbian citizens are not exposed to adequate information about it. Unlike the rulers of Winterfell, who regularly and often warn the inhabitants of the dangers of the coming winter, our rulers do not nave need to inform us. Except once a year when the air quality report is published, they tell us what the air was like - last year. And even then, we are not sure how to interpret the information that the authorities give us. When winter arrives, and with it the air heavy for breathing, there is no information, warning or recommendation from the competent authorities. During the days with the highest levels of air pollution in the past year, some of the statements made by those in charge were: The air in Belgrade is good, up to moderately polluted. We have no official record that the air is polluted in Valjevo. In those days, the concentration of PM10 particles in some cities was up to 12 times higher than the allowed daily limit values. But - there was no official memo. Well there was no reaction. And no action to remedy the situation.

Where does our air pollution come from and can we protect ourselves? Unlike Westeros, we do not have a Wall that guards us. Pollution comes from the process of producing heat and electricity by burning fossil and other fuels in obsolete and inefficient devices and plants. It comes from traffic and industrial processes. And there is no wall to stop it - the air crosses all boundaries and unites us in its pernicious effect. Can we protect ourselves? Of course we can. As we don't have Deneris and her dragons (which would definitely be helpful as renewables), we can turn to the sun. Or the wind. Or forests. Or to use energy smarter and more efficiently. To build smart buildings. IT technologies and the fourth industrial revolution are also allies in this fight. We can, for example, apply the regulations we have already adopted and decide that health is important to us. The EU integration path of the Western Balkans is another way to protect ourselves from air pollution. This path is for the countries of the Western Balkans like the unification of the kingdoms of Westeros in the final battle against the Night King: they have recognized that they have a common problem and that they can only solve it by acting together. Along the way, we can adopt and implement adequate standards of behavior, apply EU air quality standards, use the best available technologies in the way we produce and consume energy if we together set the goal of living healthy and safe, even in winter.

But the reality seems to be that these are still difficult tasks for us in the Western Balkans. And that healthy and safe air will not be reached very quickly. We have another winter ahead.

So let's listen to Ned Stark: Get ready. Winter is coming.

Mirjana Jovanović

Belgrade Open School

Photo source: Belgrade Open School