UNDP Tackling Air Pollution in Skopje

1. Comprehensive monitoring system (for the pilot area) as well as coordination platform to tackle air pollution developed and put in function. Three (3) outdoor air quality monitoring stations including a meteorological station and five (5) indoor monitoring devices were purchased as parallel funding from UNDP through the City Experiment Fund. At the end of the project, UNDP announced that they would be transferring ownership over the devices and equipment to the University of Goce Delchev in Shtip, as a project beneficiary identified to be of key importance to sustainability and national ownership. The outdoor monitoring stations were placed in Lisice at three different locations with the aim of measuring the local air pollution coming from individual residential houses. The equipment allowed for real-time monitoring of air quality results and remote transfer of data. The aim of the local air quality monitoring network was to improve data availability and display the differences between the pilot area and surrounding neighbourhoods before and after the interventions. A so-called source apportionment study was carried out by the University "Goce Delchev" from Shtip in order to determine the main contributing sources to air pollution in the city of Skopje. This study was designed and implemented with university expertise, but it was also independently verified at an appropriate accredited laboratory in France in order to ensure that both the methodology and the collected results are sound. The study determined that household biomass fuel burning for heating purposes is the main contributor to hazardous levels of air pollution during the winter months. The study is assessed to have been conducted with a high level of professionalism and integrity and has resulted in quality science-based input to future policy decisions. In coordination with the City of Skopje and MoEPP, an Action Plan for Air Quality for the City of Skopje was prepared and presented to the key institutions. 2. Implement regulatory changes necessary to transition towards a lower emission household energy system In 2022, eight (8) correspondent tables (in addition to the 14 produced the previous year) (EU-MK form and MK-EU form) for the Rulebook on Labelling of Energy-Related Products were also prepared. A correspondent table is a document linking EU to Macedonian legislation during the process of approximation with the EU Acquis. This action broadly contributes to the ongoing process of EU accession. A Rulebook for Quality of Solid Fuels in accordance with the international standards for fuel quality was developed through a consultative process with ME and MoEPP. It was agreed that the Ministry of Economy, as the responsible institution will undertake the lead for further communication of the Rulebook with all relevant institutions. This Rulebook, if adequately implemented is expected to reduce the harmful emissions from solid fuels in the country. 3. Measures that address the causes of pollution from household heating to show proof of concept demonstrated in at least 100 households As a result of the project interventions and support, within the pilot area of Lisiche (Call 1 and Call 2), in total 129 households replaced their old and inefficient heating systems, with new energy efficient ones: heat pumps (5), inverters (108) or pellet stoves (37). In 2022, two additional calls (Call 3 and Call 4) for replacement of the old and inefficient heating systems with new energy efficient inverters were organised in cooperation with the ME and Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP) for the households from Skopje. In total 319 inverters were installed in 270 socio-economically vulnerable households, recipients of social welfare support from the Ministry for Labor and Social Policy and recipients of financial support for 2022 for electricity for persons with low incomes from the Ministry of Economy. The two calls were implemented in the period from May August 2022. A national consultant was engaged to develop subsidy models at national and local levels that contribute to environmental protection (including air pollution, energy efficiency and climate change), while at the same time providing support to the most vulnerable categories of population (low-income families). For the purpose of this assignment, the current subsidy models were reviewed and the gaps and challenges (including challenges on end-user level) identified. Comparative analyses of different subsidy models in the region and in EU countries with an aim to identify models/elements which can be utilized for the development of the model(s) for the country were also carried out. The proposed subsidy model was finalised through broader consultative process. Sida assesses that there is a likelihood of further use of this model in a new initiative that UNDP is participating in - the Green Finance Facility, a loan subsidy fund aimed at supporting energy efficiency measures and renewables for households and SMEs. 4. Public awareness regarding the air pollution causes and effects, as well as strengthening of energy efficiency measures Surveys produced within the project, as well as other relevant information, were subject of review and analyses by prof. Dejan Mirakovski and the Chief Technical Advisor Aleksandar Dedinec, PhD. They developed a capacity building programme targeting three groups: CSO, Media workers (journalists) and retailers of heating devices. The first training session was organised in November 2021, via the Zoom platform. More than 20 representatives from the CSOs active in the environmental/air protection area joined the session. The topic of the first training was "Air Quality Monitoring and Assessment: How to Improve Air Quality Monitoring?" In December 2021, the project organized the second online training session focused on "Strenghtening the Knowledge of Retailers and Sellers About the Features and Benefits of Energy Efficient Devices and Heaters", attended by 15 representatives of retailers and sellers of electrical appliances. In April 2022, the project organized the third training session aimed at media workers, to introduce the basic concepts of ambient air quality monitoring methods, data quality requirements and data presentation formats. The project Tackling Air Pollution in the City of Skopje identified four project concepts that, with the support of the project team and the behavioral changing expert, were developed into project proposals which considered testing mutually agreed behavioral nudges/experiments. The intervention(s) were implemented in a period of 3 months, by the end of September 2022. Each CSO was supported with a grant of up to 15,000 USD. The four CSOs, under guidance of an international behaviour changing expert from Sweden, conducted four behaviour changing experiments and created policy briefs/recommendations for improvement of specific air pollution issues, which were broadly and publicly communicated. The CSOs also underwent comprehensive capacity building trainings organised by the international expert on different behaviour changing aspects. A 5-day study visit to Sweden was organized for 14 participants from institutions responsible for air quality planning and monitoring on national and local level, UNDP, CSOs, Media and Universities to obtain practical hands-on experience from leading Swedish authorities regarding tackling air pollution. It is challenging to assess the overall success of this contribution, as it is a very heterogeneous project with an experimental approach, which implies to a certain extent a somewhat "hit and miss" track record. Overall Sida assesses that the project was partly successful in piloting a comprehensive methodology for tackling air pollution in the country. As the next phase of this project focuses on the strengths of the first phase, which is to say - source apportionment and associated technical support, capacity-building and policy support, it is likely that the risk will be substantially reduced. Ownership over the project outcomes does however remain a critical point of dialogue with UNDP and needs to be emphasized at every turn. UNDP has developed a roadmap to national ownership in both components of the new Framework Programme with Sida, which will be a focus of follow-up.

The intervention seeks to address one of the multiple and intersecting causes that contribute to Skopje’s air pollution problem, ranked in 2017 as among the top ten most-polluted cities in Europe with conditions worsening tangibly and measurably in over the past five years. A series of studies conducted under the leadership of the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning with different partners has helped to identify the main pollution sources, the most critical pollutant being the suspended particle matter (PM) and the sector most responsible for PM emissions as household heating. It relates to a number of underlying factors that contribute to the complexity of the situation, such as: i) inadequate reliable air quality monitoring system and potential sources of pollution; ii) insufficient coordination amongst stakeholders; iii) an inadequate regulatory framework; iiii) Large number of inefficient buildings with no or limited insulation, inefficient wood-burning stoves on the market, few workable schemes available to owners to finance or implement retrofitting, limited availability of efficient heating technologies where district heating is not available; iv) widespread polluting practices such as open burning of wood burning plastic, garbage and other toxic materials for heating v) low awareness levels about the sources and effects of air pollution, in particular the impact of inefficient heating practices and the possibilities for more cost-effective heating sources. The project is focused at local level by designing and testing local actions specific for a municipality in Skopje, in order to demonstrate the concept of a low emission district that can be used as an example for wider action.  Taking into consideration that the heating practices in the residential sector are the main contributor to the air pollution of the City of Skopje, as well as the availability of the current funding, the approach for this project is to carry out a multi-pronged intervention to tackle air pollution linked to the residential sector. It is aimed to establish a fully functional platform that brings all traditional and non-traditional partners to work together to address the issue. The project aims to bring about change in the behaviour of people, and in the use of energy in Skopje through a comprehensive approach involving a) effective and inclusive monitoring / understanding of the sources of pollution; b) changes in the regulatory framework to bring about changes in behaviour amongst market operators and consumers; c) investments in interventions that will reduce energy consumption and pollution – including particulate matter, CO, and GHGs; d) communications / awareness raising activities to ensure public buy-in and better understand how to adjust programmes to achieve lasting impacts.