Measures to Reduce Air Pollution in Sarajevo Canton Presented

In Sarajevo Canton, organized by the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection and BIHAMK, a presentation of the project "Analysis of the impact of road traffic on environmental quality in Sarajevo Canton with a proposal of measures for improvement" was held, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

Vehicles are the single biggest risk to human health and the environment, pointed out in the introductory speech the Minister of Spatial Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection, Čedomir Lukić, who on this occasion explained that this is a project approved at the beginning of 2015 within the Public Call for the allocation of earmarked funds from the Federal Environmental Protection Fund belonging to the Canton, which are allocated to the Budget of Sarajevo Canton for projects and programs in the field of environmental protection.

- The Ministry simultaneously approved funds for the reconstruction of boiler rooms and thermal insulation of buildings, all with the aim of reducing emissions into the air. In fact, all solutions for improving air quality boil down to reducing emissions of pollutants by undertaking various activities, and this Project was also approved with the aim of reducing motor vehicle emissions - stated Minister Lukić.

He added that when approving the Project, they wanted to obtain useful proposals from the perspective of experts who continuously deal with all aspects of traffic, taking into account various international experiences that BIHAMK certainly has as an organization with a long-standing tradition.

He emphasized that when considering these measures, two facts should be kept in mind: the basin position of Sarajevo, which does not allow for alternative routes of movement, and the fact that the entire area, starting from Ilidža to Baščaršija, along the main road, is classified as Second, and especially Third category of excessively polluted air.

Undoubtedly, traffic is one of the more important causes of air pollution because in Sarajevo Canton, according to data from 2014, there are over 130,000 registered motor vehicles. Of these, 64 percent are vehicles older than 15 years, and 83 percent are older than 10 years.

In this regard, relevant data were collected on the total number of registered motor vehicles by municipality, category, age structure, type of fuel and Euro standard, then on traffic frequency in certain central parts of Sarajevo Canton during the day, and on the amount of sold oil and petroleum derivatives, as well as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Based on the collected data, a detailed analysis was performed and adequate measures were proposed, the application of which would control exhaust gas emissions from motor vehicles, thereby reducing harmful effects on public health and environmental quality as a whole.

During the presentation, representatives of BIHAMK, engineers Mersiha Imširević and Almir Cero, presented what kind of measures for improving air quality are involved.

- Planned measures would entail reducing air pollution and would relate to establishing a traffic management and control center, establishing restrictions for off-road vehicles, and 'eco zones' in the narrower city core - explained Imširević and added that these zones can be organized according to one of two European practices, e.g., during vehicle registration, vignettes for entering the city center would be issued, or, according to the second, so-called London model, entry of motor vehicles into the narrower city core would be charged.

Also, all vehicles that are registered would be required to pass an eco test that would be eliminatory. Work would be done on building new bicycle paths and bicycle parking lots, it was said during the presentation, but it was also stated that one of the measures has already been ordered by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is limiting the import into our country of vehicles with a standard lower than Euro 4.

- One of the measures would be mandatory training in 'eco-driving' in driving schools - said Imširević.

The second group of measures would relate to 'green procurement', which would mean that all public cantonal companies would be obliged to purchase vehicles powered by alternative fuels for their fleet. The same would be implied by measures in public transport when it comes to purchasing new vehicles. It is proposed that during periods of reduced passenger numbers, minibuses be used instead of buses, and that during periods of high pollution, the railway be included in suburban transport, of course, with tariff harmonization.

- Bicycle transport would receive much greater promotion than is currently the case, and in addition to building new bicycle paths, work would be done on introducing a bicycle rental system. Incentives for the purchase of hybrid vehicles, as is the practice in Slovenia and Croatia, would be applied to individuals and legal entities - emphasized Cero.

The cheapest measure for reducing pollution would also be promoted, ride-sharing - the practice where within the same company several people travel in one car, instead of just one, as is most often the case now. Drivers who enter the 'ride-sharing' program would have free or cheaper parking.

The total value of the Project was 17,000.00 KM, of which the Ministry approved 12,000.00 KM, and the remaining 5,000.00 KM was provided by BIHAMK from its own funds.

At this gathering, unanimous support was given to efforts for the final harmonization of regulations on conducting Eco tests with European regulations, on which the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection has long insisted, given that these tests are now conducted formally without any effect, and they should become eliminatory from the standpoint of vehicle registration. And this was addressed to the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.