Air pollution in Skopje, unfortunately, has been a topical issue for years, and a threat to human health and the environment.
According to various analyzes of pollution data in our country and the capital Skopje, collected with the most modern methodology, we can conclude that the situation with excessive air pollution in Skopje is a cause for concern in the first months of 2024.
Measuring stations very often show that the air that the citizens of the capital breathe is too polluted, that is, very harmful, and is the cause of many lung and other diseases. Skopje is often the most polluted city in Macedonia, and in the top ten most polluted cities in the world, with a very high pollution index.
Competent authorities often give advice to citizens, give recommendations and take certain measures, although this, unfortunately, does not change the situation much.
The competent authorities, when the pollution index is very high, recommend that citizens keep the windows closed in their homes and workplaces, heat their homes with environmentally friendly fuels, wear masks when going out, use cars less often or drive more people with one vehicle, and sick and elderly people should not go out unnecessarily.
Apart from these recommendations, in periods when the pollution is very high, the authorities intensify the control of the construction sites, intensify the washing of the city streets and boulevards and other activities.
The citizens, on the other hand, as a contribution to the reduction of pollution, have their own requests to the authorities, as a result of the challenges they face every day. We will mention those that are most often mentioned by the media and portals over the years: more buses and more regular bus routes, more green zones for pedestrians and cyclists, more regular waste collection, subsidies for full combustion stoves and quality fuels in households, more regular controls of construction sites, and industrial facilities.
Pollution remains a common problem and we should all solve it within the limits of our capabilities and competences, the concerned citizens should take personal responsibility and make their own contribution, and the authorities should regularly carry out the activities that are in their competence.
Considering the situation with pollution in Skopje, we need great commitment, responsibility and a lot of effort both on an individual and collective level, but also communication and commitment from all involved, because pollution is a challenge for all citizens.
From the students of SUGS “Lazar Tanev” Kozle, Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia