Katowice, COP24 host, attempts to go from black to green

The southern Polish city, which lies in the heart of the Silesia region is Europe's largest coal producer with over 40 mines operating in the area of some 4,500 square kilometres.

Tens of thousands of people in the region depend on coal for their livelihoods.

Drawing support from those with an emotional attachment to the job security, social fabric and national pride in coal, authorities have for long overlooked the downside for health and the planet.

But more and more people realise that coal is not only feeding them, the polluted air takes a heavy toll.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the region has some of the most polluted areas on the planet, ranking alongside places with infamously bad air such as Beijing and New Delhi.

Coal currently produces around 80 percent of the country's energy while inefficient furnaces and low grade coal used to heat homes add to the air pollution.

Piotr Lubecki from a Silesian town of Goczalkowice Zdroj is one of the beneficiaries of a nationwide programme "Clean Air" launched earlier this year. The programme which helps to finance the replacement of old, inefficient furnaces has gained huge popularity in the Katowice area.

Earlier this year the Polish government approved long-awaited regulations that define the quality of coal that can be used by households and ban the use of dirty, air polluting fossils.

Although the regulations will only take effect from June 30, 2020, authorities in Katowice, in a drive to overcome the city's dirty reputation, have launched a fleet of drones monitoring the air quality and identifying households which burn low quality coal or garbage.

Despite all efforts the improvement in the air quality may take time and Olgierd Bator, owner of a production house which makes anti-smog masks, is not going to be out of business any time soon.

Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 International, Reuters