The conference titled “Support to Bosnia and Herzegovina in improving air quality and air management” will be held at Hotel Europe, Sarajevo, from 11.00 the 22 November 2018 with inaugural addresses by Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Mirko Šarović and Ambassador of Sweden Anders Hagelberg.
Participants include Ulrik Westman, SEPA Head of Department and other experts from the Swedish Environment Protection Agency and the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute as well as a number of prominent participants from key institutions in BiH.
To help assist Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in countering the challenges posed by air pollution, the Swedish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), along with the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), launches a project to improve air quality assessment, monitoring and management in the country in line with EU standards.
The project is a partnership with the Hydrometeorological Institutes and several Ministries of Finance in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It aims to strengthen the capacity of relevant institutions in BiH to better manage air quality data and to improve air quality throughout the country and amounts to 3.8 million euros for the period 2018 – 2022.
BiH is facing considerable challenges because of air pollution. Citizens are exposed to some of the highest levels of air pollutants in Europe, causing a wide range of negative health consequences.
Heart and lung disease, strokes, lung cancer and adverse effects on the immune system are more prevalent in areas affected by such emissions. Children, older adults and those living in poverty are particularly vulnerable.
In addition to negative health effects, air pollution has also devastating effects on the economy.
The World Health Organization has found that BiH is losing 21.5 percent of its GDP (US$ 7.228 millions) annually because of heavy air pollution. Sweden is actively engaged in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to help improve the environmental situation and support sustainable development.
