Silesia brings back the blue

The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management will provide nearly PLN 26 million in subsidies for the Silesian Voivodeship for the implementation of the Air Protection Program under the EU LIFE project At the Marshal's Office of the Silesian Voivodeship in Katowice, an agreement was officially signed for co-financing the project "Silesia. Blue Sky Restored” from the funds of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.

The signing of the contract was attended by Jakub Chełstowski, Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship, Izabela Domogała, member of the Management Board of the Silesian Voivodeship and Paweł Mirowski, Deputy President of the Management Board of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. “I am glad that the signal for changes comes from Silesia.

The “Zielone Śląskie 2030” strategy indicates the directions that will give development. This project shows the change we expect in the region. I would like to thank the local governments that decided to participate in this project. Cooperation always brings the best results and I hope that it will translate into an improvement in air quality, and thus in the quality of life. Silesia is changing and moving towards a low-emission economy, said Marshal Jakub Chełstowski. 

The entire program amounts to PLN 76 million. In addition to funds from the LIFE program in the amount of PLN 45 million, from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in the amount of PLN 26 million, this value is supplemented by own funds of local governments and those from the budget of the Silesian Voivodeship.

“We can present this conclusion as a model and example of how to present environmental protection objectives in a transparent and substantive manner. Silesia is a leader in the "Clean Air" program. Every sixth application comes from Silesia, and 25 of the 30 most active communes in the program come from this region. I believe that this program will show that it is worth reaching for these funds and carrying out tasks for the benefit of residents, so that they have a chance to breathe clean air. It's time to wisely invest in the environment so that the next generations can live in a friendly environment. I hope that thanks to these funds we will be able to achieve these goals, ”emphasized Paweł Mirowski, deputy president of the Board of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. After signing the contract, the substantive part of the event took place in the Chamber of the Silesian Regional Assembly, during which Marshal Jakub Chełstowski presented the assumptions of the project “Silesia. Blue sky Restored" as an example of the Silesian Voivodeship's active efforts to improve air quality in the region. Moreover, representatives of, among others, NFOŚiGW, Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal, Silesian University of Technology, Silesian Botanical Garden. During the event, certificates were handed over to local governments and project partners.

“This is a historic moment for the region. It is the largest air quality project in Europe by number of partners. The effects of these activities will be felt not only in the Silesian Voivodeship, but also in the neighboring regions and border areas. We have six years of work ahead of us, a series of activities aimed at improving air quality, ”explained Izabela Domogała, member of the Board of the Silesian Voivodeship. Main directions of the project "Silesia. Blue Sky Restored" includes: creating an advisory support system (eco-managers), reducing transport emissions, concepts for increasing green areas, accelerating the pace of replacing low-power heating devices, models for reducing the environmental impact in public utility buildings, creating a regional eco-system information about the inhabitant, coordinating the use of domestic and foreign funds for the improvement of air quality.

The overriding goal of the project "Silesia. Blue Sky Restored" is the efficient and effective implementation of the Air Protection Program for the Silesia Voivodeship, which in 2020 was adopted by the Parliament of the Silesian Voivodeship. The main goal is consistent with the priority goal of the Air Protection Program, i.e. the development and implementation of remedial measures, the completion of which will lead to the improvement of air quality, which will consequently reduce the negative impact of air pollution on the health and life of the inhabitants of the Silesian Voivodeship.

The activities undertaken under the project will make it possible to significantly accelerate the pace of replacement of low-power heating devices (below 1MW) fired with solid fuels in the municipal-housing sector, which is the main source of the problem situation in the voivodeship. An important part of the project is also to raise the level of knowledge in various target groups in the field of low emissions and preventive actions.