Alarm: Due to polluted air, Kosovars' life expectancy 11 years lower than EU

Representatives of international organizations such as W NDP, UN, UNMIK, UNICEF and O BSH, representatives of local institutions such as the National Public Health Institute, the Agency for Air Navigation Services, etc., representatives of civil society, media and citizens.

The event opened with the launching of the awareness campaign concerning air pollution in Kosovo, which included self-aware messages from public-recognised faces, ordinary citizens and marginalised groups. Then follow the quiz, which praised the general knowledge of the audience on sustainable development objectives ( O ZHQs and Agent 2030 in general.

In her opening address, Isme Humolli from the World Health Organisation (OBSH) gave several figures regarding the negative impact of polluted air on the health of Kosovo citizens. Moreover, Hummolli stressed that the average life expectancy of our citizens is 11 years lower than those of the European Union, which is because Kosovo has the most polluted air in the middle of European states. Hummolli called for increased awareness and co-operation of all key field and citizen acts.

The next speaker, INDEP Executive Director Burim Ejupi, praised as very positive the fact that air pollution is already being discussed very often between institutions and citizens because air pollution is a factor that affects citizens' overall health daily. Ejupi, argued that the incoming Government should have a concrete plan on the implementation of the Agency 2030, taking into account recommendations that have compiled to local nongovernmental organisations that are sustainablely profiled, including INDEP. As a concrete measure, Ejupi gave the excise in the diesel because it is known that this is fuel which is a major contributor to car pollution.

Researchers from nongovernmental organisations, Learta Holaj from INDEP and Elion Grguri from Balkan Green Foundation (BGF) held a joint presentation on the current air situation in Kosovo, as well as opportunities for all of us to contribute to the improvement of this situation. They gave figures that 3,800 premature deaths occurred in Kosovo until 2016 as a result of air pollution. The main causes of these deaths are estimated to be the numerous bombers, production factories and Kosovo A and Kosovo B thermal power plants.

From the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Arbiri Pireva, introduced the findings of the project "Healthier Kosovo" [Albanian]: Kosovo is healthier. Piraeus said that even though the situation is poor and alarming on the ground, 69% of citizens according to UNDP figures are willing to join initiatives to solve environmental problems. Meanwhile, the representative of U. NICEF, Dafina Mucaj, spoke in detail about the importance of air as quality in early development of children. Muchay presented a short video worked by the team U n NICEF, which illustrated how the brain of children develops in contaminated air compared to clean. In the end, Mucaj called for support of energy production from renewable sources after minimizing the negative effects on public health.

The event ended with the panel consisting of all the preliminary speakers who answered the questions posed by the audience.