The 5th Move.Link.Engage Regional Conference once again provided an opportunity to discuss environmental, energy and climate change topics for the third year in a row. This year the theme was air quality, and a panel called “Winter is Coming! The Air Pollution as a Press Challenge for the Western Balkan Countries “brought together representatives of civil society and international organizations, in a joint effort to respond to the challenge of polluted air in the Western Balkans.

When it comes to basic human rights and freedoms, the right to a clean environment is not among the rights that first comes to mind. However, it is extremely important, because a clean and healthy environment is practically a prerequisite for normal functioning, both of individuals and of society as a whole. This right is also being threatened to the citizens of the Western Balkans, as are other rights that are more widely discussed. About the fact that our right to a clean environment is endangeredm we are largely informed from Brussels, Vienna, Geneva, New York. Thus, relatively recently, we have been warned by the United Nations that air pollution leads to one in five premature deaths in 19 cities in the Western Balkans. The consequences of air pollution can, in addition to the death rate, be calculated and expressed in some other figures, such as financial losses. We spend 10% of our gross domestic product on treating health problems caused by air pollution. Is there a solution to this problem and in whose hands? What can citizens and civil society organizations do, how can international organizations help, and what should state authorities, cities and municipalities do?

Srđan Kukolj from Health and Enviroment Alliance (HEAL), said that while the governments of the countries of the region highlight the transport sector as the primary source of pollution, the problem still lies in the energy sector, as thermal power plants in the Western Balkans are the largest pollutants in Europe. He recalled some of the major findings of the Chronic Coal Pollution report, highlighting the clear link between air quality and public health. Due to the fact that thermal power plants are financed by public money and through state aid, we are in a paradoxical situation that as citizens we pay too much for the energy produced in this way - first by paying public money for "dirty" products as a cause, and then we bear the costs of the consequences - bigger cost of treating airborne health problems. He sees as a first step in addressing this challenge in the need to talk more and more about this problem and to keep the wider population informed.

Peter Vajda from Energy Community referred to the role his organization plays in improving the environment in the Western Balkans through the gradual transposition and implementation of the EU acquis in the field of energy. In addition to introductory explanations of the dynamics of transposition of EU legislation in the signatories states of the Energy Community Treaty, he also presented the results achieved by EU Member States in reducing their emissions, primarily sulfur dioxide, whose emissions are 80% lower than 1990. He also stressed that in order to reduce air pollution, in addition to large plants, it is necessary to bring order to the household sector, which is far more challenging, since it is easier to control several large power plants than every chimney in households. He also said that it was a good idea for the Air Quality Directive to become part of the legal framework of the energy community, which would entail additional costs, primarily in terms of monitoring, but stressed that any environmental investment would be worthwhile, so that, according to the 2013 Energy Community projections regarding the implementation of the Large Combustion Plant Directive, the benefits of each euro invested exceed 15 times the investment.

Jasminka Young from RES Foundation outlined what EU legislation in the field of air quality looks like, a strategic framework with goals for 2020, as well as the interconnection of different directives related to this field. It is up to the Member States to find the best mechanism for implementing European legislation. Given Serbia's current status as a candidate country for full membership, EU instruments can serve as a benchmark, but it should not be lost sight of the implementation of air quality policy at the local level and where the problem is recognized. Jasmine also underlined that the main challenge is when it comes to particularly hazardous powders (PM 10 and PM 2.5) of households and power plants below 50 megawatts.

Katarina Kosmina of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) spoke about how citizens can be directly involved in dealing with air pollution through the use of open data. Open data is now a legal requirement and a great chance when it comes to air quality. Even when there is a lack of proactivity on the part of the authorities, citizens have the right to request information. They offer the opportunity for analysis and interpretation from different perspectives. Citizens with data are better informed and ready to make different decisions. The United Nations Development Program is working to analyze data, present it, and use it for public discussion on important social topics. Air quality is a real example of the topic where open data can be used to increase citizen participation in solving social problems, so the use of open data in this area will be at the centre of the upcoming collaboration between BOS, IT partners and UNDP.

The ensuing discussion also covered the topics of energy poverty and how to address the issue of air pollution originating from the household sector, as well as the issue of the National Emission Reduction Plan, which Serbia has not yet formally adopted. It is a plan that collectively covers large installations and sets annual targets for the reduction of greenhouse gases, which is envisaged under the Large Combustion Plants Directive, which has entered into force for Serbia and the other signatories to the Energy Community Treaty on January 1, 2018. 19 months later, Serbia has not yet formally adopted this document, and the text of the plan, along with the Strategic Impact Assessment Report, only came to the public at the end of 2018, when there was public debate on the Strategic Assessment Report only, but not on the plan itself.

To sum up, we convey main conclusions from the panel:

• Environmental health and good air quality are among the fundamentals;
• WB6 need to increase efforts to reduce air pollution;
• Serbia and other EnC contracting parties have substantial obligations related to air quality, in particular to LCPD;
• The time has come for solutions and decisive action towards better air quality policies, that need to be based on broad social consensus and multi-stakeholder cooperation;
• Digital technology can offer some of the needed solutions;
• Stronger voice of citizens is needed to mobilize decision makers in crafting better air quality policies;
• Civil society organisations can play an important role in creating public awareness momentum that can prompt the decision makers to commit to more ambitious and effective air quality policies;
• CSOs can play an important role in awareness raising about air quality issues related to domestic heating, while governments (at national, regional and local level) shall support citizens in achieving energy efficient solutions.

Photo source: Belgrade Open School