Air pollution - National Responses (Slovenia)

For the requirements of improving the quality of ambient air, the government adopted the following operational programmes, which are aimed at reducing emissions of pollutants into the air and at improving the quality of outside air:

• operational programme for achieving national emissions ceilings for ambient air pollutants/revision of the operational programme for achieving national emissions ceilings for ambient air pollutants from 2005 (OP NEC) (MOP, 2007);
• operational programme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2012 (OP TGP-1, 2009);
• operational programme to protect ambient air from PM₁₀ pollution (OP PM10, 2009);
• resolution on Transport Policy of the Republic of Slovenia (RePPRS, 2006);
• resolution on the National Energy Programme (ReNEP, 2004);
• in order to establish sustainable mobility, improve the quality of the environment and construct adequate infrastructure, in line with the Slovenian Development Strategy the Government adopted the Operational programme to develop the environment and transport infrastructure for the period 2007-2013 (Operativni program razvoja okoljske in prometne infrastrukture za obdobje 2007–2013, Slovenian Government, 26 July 2007).

On the local level, the majority of municipalities in areas with excessive air pollution adopted Municipal Environmental Protection Programmes, which include both national and local measures to improve air quality – for example in Ljubljana (MOL, 2007), Maribor, Trbovlje, Nova Gorica, Murska Sobota and the towns of Slovenian Istria.

Since its diffuse nature makes transport a highly unmanageable source of atmospheric pollution, various measures have been adopted with the aim of limiting it. Thus the OP PM10 (OP PM10, 2009) envisages:

• the drafting of an action plan for developing public passenger transport;
• formulation of a comprehensive strategy for managing transit goods traffic on the roads;
• introduction of carriageways intended exclusively for public passenger transport including along sections of national roads; introduction of road tolls, taking into account external costs for goods vehicles for the use of toll roads;
• introduction of environmental criteria in apportioning annual taxes for the use of vehicles on the road;
• taking the environmental aspect into account in determining the level of excise on motor fuels;
• introduction of environmental criteria in public tenders for the purchase of personal vehicles (green public procurement);
• modernisation of the railway network;
• construction of cycle lanes and support facilities and promotion of cycling.

In addition to measures on the national level, the OP PM10 (OP PM10, 2009) envisages measures that should be implemented at both the regional and local levels. In regions where the limit values for PM₁₀ concentrations have been exceeded, there will be a need to arrange infrastructure at railway passenger stations linking the region and the urban environment. This will include arranging sufficiently large and free car parks for passengers commuting daily. The municipalities are competent for regulating road traffic and the traffic regime on local roads of urbanised parts of an area with a degraded environment. In the area of an urban environment where the limit values of PM₁₀ have been exceeded, the following measures for local reduction of PM₁₀ emissions need to be implemented:

• in the period of two years from the start of implementing measures to reduce PM₁₀ emissions, a ban on the use of light and heavy goods vehicles that do not meet the set emissions standards –the emission standard will be set by an appropriate act based on analysis of the impacts, and will be adjusted to the development of technology;
• in the period of two years after the implementation of measures to reduce PM₁₀ emissions, replacement of public passenger vehicles with vehicles that meet the requirements of the given emission standard – the emission standard will be set by an appropriate act based on analysis of the impacts, and will be adjusted to the development of technology;
• improvement of city public transport and promotion of increased use of public transport through measures such as arrangement of car parks for private vehicles at the entrance to urban areas, and incorporation of such car parks into the public road transport network;
• establishing environmental zones in Ljubljana;
• differentiated parking fees in the urban area;
• speed limits on motorways, highways and regional roads of 80 km/h,
• adequate cleaning of road surfaces in order to reduce the resuspension of particles;
• arranging separate lanes for public transport, introducing priority for public transport vehicles at crossroads, adapting the public transport network to the settlement structure, introducing intermodal transfer hubs, increasing subsidies for public transport tickets, modernising the payment system, allowing for free transfers;
• promoting non-motorised traffic through measures such as: linking up cycle route networks, establishing secure areas for bicycle storage, arranging bicycle sheds in apartment buildings, increasing pedestrian and cyclist safety, expanding the proportion of surfaces for pedestrians and cyclists;
• promoting systems of car-pooling and car-sharing to increase the occupancy of private vehicles in the urban and suburban environment.

In connection with transport it should be mentioned that Slovenia is starting to introduce biofuels, although the goals in this area lag behind the reference values in the EU Directive on biofuels or other renewable fuels for transport. Slovenia justifies variances from the reference values through the limited scope for producing biofuels (PR13).

Given the effect of polluted air on human health, especially that of children, an action plan is being drafted for the environment and children’s health. The aim of the plan is to prevent and reduce the incidence of respiratory diseases linked to the pollution of ambient and inside air among children. The plan envisages the following measures:

• ensuring areas of clean air around schools and educational institutions by limiting vehicle access, especially those with diesel engines, and by limiting sources of pollution in the vicinity –amending and implementing legislation;
• awareness raising/education of teachers, children and parents about the dangers of polluted air on health and education on preventive measures that need to be carried out on days when the pollution level is high – promoting education programmes;
• introducing regular monitoring of ambient air quality and establishing a notification system on days when the air pollution level in urban areas is high, with the aim of notifying staff at schools and educational institutions so they will know that the risk to health is high – amending and implementing legislation, monitoring exposure to chemical substances in the environment;
• involvement of children, schools and local communities in spreading information about the importance of clean air for human health – promoting the active participation of involved people, children, educators and health workers.

In view of the increasing concern of citizens over environmental problems, and in order to make habits and practices in the environment friendlier, the subject of environmental education has also been incorporated into the school curriculum. In connection with air pollution and in turn with associated sectoral issues such as transport, energy, health, etc. mention should be made of eco-schools and the UNESCO schools, which are actively involved in issues relating to the atmosphere. Another important factor in providing environmental education is the education of teachers, so the Ministry of Education and Sport is giving this special attention as part of the yearly range of seminars offered for continuing professional enhancement. Furthermore, the Slovenian Board of Education is publishing the magazine Environmental Education in Schools (Okoljska vzgoja v šoli).